Disaster response was effective, minimised damage: Anura Yapa  

• New laws to be introduced for evacuation procedures

• Largest deployment of troops since the war for rescue work

• Rs. 10,000 per household as an advance payment for compensation of damage

• Japan to assist in drawing a long-term disaster management plan

Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa – Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

By Chathuri Dissanayake

Launching a fresh line of defence against the criticism levelled at his ministry for its delayed response, Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa came out strongly saying that had his officials not responded in time the death toll would have been much higher. 

Highlighting the need to bring in new laws to manage evacuations during disaster situations, the Minister claimed disregard for weather warnings was the reason for the high death toll.

“We did our best, there is a system in place,” Yapa said.

The latest report filed by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that 147 people were injured in the disaster caused by torrential rain. The adverse weather affected 14 districts and 683,831 people.

According to the Minister, although warnings were issued and evacuation notices given, some people did not move to safe locations.

The Government is now planning to introduce new laws regarding evacuation procedures in the face of disasters.

In some cases warnings issued since a similar disaster in 2003 have not been heeded by people, he said.

The Government is now exploring strategies to ensure that people do not return to their homes in high-risk areas.

“We will have to find areas to relocate some communities and work with other communities for better disaster preparedness,” he said.

Yapa also admitted that the disaster response system too needed to improve and specific evacuation centres needed to be properly identified, along with a long-term disaster management plan.  

Coming to Sri Lanka’s aid, Japan has sent a team of experts to assess the current disaster risk situation in the country, the Minister said.

Another Japanese expert will arrive in Sri Lanka to develop a long-term Disaster Management Plan with the help of the Japan International Corporation Agency.

Although the country has faced a number of disasters following the 2004 tsunami, Sri Lanka does not have designated disaster evacuation centres. The Minister of Disaster Management today requested people to assemble at places of worship in case of a disaster situation until a proper plan is implemented.

The Government deployed 5,085 soldiers for rescue work, along with 58 troop carriers equipped to float on water while 120 Navy rescue teams and 960 navy personnel, including 120 navy dingies and 15 Air Force helicopters were in operation at all times during the disaster. This was the highest deployment since the war ended, he claimed.

He also highlighted that the excessive rainfall was the reason for most of the issues faced. 

According to irrigation department analysis, during the night of 24 May rainfall of 400 mm had been recorded in parts of the wet zone within six hours, the most in 200 years, the Minister stated.

The National Insurance Trust Fund has allocated Rs. 150 million to make an initial payment of Rs. 10,000 per household for property damage. “We will pay the rest once the assessments are completed and claims are filed through the district secretaries,” the NITF Director General said.