Sri Lanka President orders swift, grassroots-driven disaster relief amid adverse weather

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake directed officials to provide immediate relief services to affected people in disaster-stricken areas by gathering information on-site rather than relying solely on technological data.

President Dissanayake emphasized the need to establish a strong grassroots-level mechanism to facilitate this process.

During a discussion held today (November 27) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, the President emphasized the need to expedite relief services for disaster-affected populations.

He directed state officials to ensure that those affected are relocated to safe shelters and provided with essential supplies, including food, water, and sanitation facilities.

He also directed authorities to allocate sufficient funds for relief efforts.

During the meeting attention was given to the high-risk Northern and Eastern Provinces, which are severely impacted by adverse weather conditions.

President Dissanayake further advised education officials to take appropriate measures to address the mental well-being and difficulties faced by students sitting for the Advanced Level examination.

Attention was drawn to identifying fishermen currently at sea and providing the necessary facilities to ensure their safe return to shore.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake further instructed officials to deliver high-quality services to affected individuals while also conducting follow-up investigations to gather information regarding the affected populations.

The discussion was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Mr. Ananda Wijepala, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Mr. Ravi Seneviratne, Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, and Director General of the Meteorology Department Mr. A. K. Karunanayake, among other officials.