President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called on security forces, government officials, and Members of Parliament to prioritise public safety and accelerate relief operations as Sri Lanka faces severe weather risks.
Chairing an emergency meeting at the Parliamentary complex yesterday morning, the President reviewed the emerging disaster situation with government and Opposition MPs, as well as relevant authorities. With heavy rainfall expected to intensify over the next two days, he urged MPs to visit their districts, convene District Coordination Committees and Divisional Committees, and intervene promptly to prevent loss of life and ensure timely relief to affected communities.
The President’s directives focus on multiple priorities, including the continuous supply of cooked meals, dry rations, and medical assistance to displaced and affected populations, the maintenance of irrigation systems, and the protection of highways and infrastructure in landslide-prone areas. He also emphasised establishing a compensation mechanism for destroyed homes and damaged farmland, while ensuring the continuation of educational activities, including the G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations.
Parliament held a special session to coordinate national relief efforts, with the tri-forces and disaster response teams deployed across the worst-hit districts. Evacuation centers have been opened in high-risk areas, and district officials were instructed to maintain uninterrupted relief services.
President Dissanayake highlighted that MPs’ active involvement in relief operations should be balanced with ongoing parliamentary proceedings, and further discussions on disaster management and coordination were scheduled for a Party Leaders’ meeting later in the day.
The government’s unified response aims to safeguard communities, mitigate damage, and maintain essential services as torrential rains continue to batter many parts of the country, he said.