Disaster Management Ministry to upgrade Met. Department

Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says he could not understand the reason for the Meteorological Department’s failure to issue a warning to the people on the strong winds experienced by the southern part of the country last week.

He said the Department had been unable to issue a warning due to the sudden winds that had lashed on the country caused by a low pressure system.

Amaraweera said he has already received a report on the matter from the Meteorological Department and that a final decision was yet to be made. He noted that action would be taken without fail if it is determined that there has been a failure on the part of any official at the Department.However, Amaraweera said that steps have been taken to modernise the Department with the purchase of new equipment. The Minister further noted that there was a lack of meteorologists at the Department and steps have also been taken to fill the vacancies.

(Colombo Page)