Sri Lanka mobilizes full emergency response under President’s orders

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed District Secretaries to proceed with rescue and relief operations for affected communities without allowing financial constraints to hinder their work.

Sri Lanka is facing severe adverse weather conditions, including continuous heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides, which have caused significant loss of life and widespread destruction across the country.

The President emphasized that Rs. 1.2 billion has already been allocated for disaster relief activities, and that a further Rs. 30 billion has been set aside in the 2025 Budget for emergency needs.

Accordingly, the President advised officials to carry out all necessary rescue and relief measures promptly, without hesitation regarding funding availability.

The President conveyed these directives during a special virtual meeting held this morning (November 28) via Zoom with District Secretaries and Chairpersons of District Coordination Committees.

President Dissanayake further instructed District and Divisional Secretaries to utilize the funds currently available to them for immediate rescue and relief operations and to request additional funds if further financial support is required.

To avoid administrative delays caused by circular restrictions, the President directed the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration to issue a new circular immediately. He also instructed that the management of relief centres accommodating displaced families be handed over to the Sri Lanka Army.

The President requested District Secretaries to urgently report requirements such as boats, helicopters, vehicles and other equipment needed for rescue operations. He announced that a dedicated Coordination Unit would be established at the Defence Headquarters to support these efforts, along with the introduction of ten special hotline numbers for communication during emergencies.

President Dissanayake also instructed District Secretaries to document the damage caused to infrastructure by floods, landslides and falling trees and to submit these reports to the Ministry of Public Administration. He added that once the disaster situation stabilizes, the necessary restoration work will commence using the tri-forces based on these reports.

The meeting was attended by Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government S. Aloka Bandara, Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs D.W.R.B. Seneviratne, Director General of Irrigation Eng. Ajith Gunasekara, Director General of the Department of Meteorology Athula Karunanayake, the Commanders of the Tri-Forces, the Inspector General of Police, and senior officials of the defence and disaster management agencies.