A Sri Lankan Parliamentary Select Committee established to evaluate the nation’s preparedness for Cyclone Ditwah has resolved to summon representatives from Pradeshiya Sabhas and Municipal Councils to assess how local authorities managed disaster coordination and communication during the crisis.
Key Highlights
- Parliamentary Select Committee to question local council representatives over disaster response efforts.
- Investigation focuses on official communication channels, early warning systems, and inter-agency coordination.
- Review addresses severe flooding and landslides in Kandy and Matale between November 23 and 27, 2025.
- Committee advocates for formal emergency protocols, regular preparedness drills, and modernized warning systems.
The committee, chaired by Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, recently convened at the Parliamentary complex to review disaster management efforts. During the session, committee members received briefings and reports from the National Council for Disaster Management alongside District Secretaries from Kandy and Matale, two of the districts most severely affected by the severe weather.
The inquiry specifically scrutinized the performance of early warning systems, inter-institutional communication, and emergency response protocols during the heavy rainfall, landslides, and flooding that impacted the central region from November 23 to 27, 2025.
Looking ahead, the panel emphasized the need to institutionalize disaster response through formal, written emergency procedures. Key recommendations currently under consideration include mandating regular disaster preparedness drills across local government bodies and significantly enhancing the reliability and speed of early warning networks to better protect vulnerable communities in future emergencies.