New disaster management framework needed: Opposition Leader

27-Aug-2026

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A new disaster management framework incorporating proper preparedness measures should be established immediately at the national level to deal with extreme natural events arising from El Niño and La Niña climate patterns, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has stressed.

He made the remarks while addressing an event held in the Talpe electorate. 

He said Sri Lanka had faced five major disasters over the past seven years, ranging from the Easter Sunday attacks to the Iran war.

According to climate change experts, El Niño and La Niña could pose the sixth major challenge, he said.

As these phenomena could result in severe droughts followed by heavy rainfall within a short period, Sri Lanka needed to take advance measures to prevent disasters, following the examples of countries such as France and Greece.

He said a parliamentary committee co-chaired by him and Professor L.M. Abeywickrama was studying the matter.

He further said Sri Lanka should move beyond merely responding to disasters and establish a new disaster management framework incorporating new institutions and modern programmes, taking the Indian state of Odisha as a model.

Even after the 2004 tsunami disaster, which claimed 40,000 lives, the country had failed to establish a modern disaster management programme, he said.

Government and non-governmental institutions, together with civil society, should come forward to build a disaster-resilient country, he added.

He also said that, as international financial institutions and multinational organisations were attempting to exert pressure on the economically weakened country, everyone should work together to protect Sri Lanka from external influences.