Sri Lanka to Build Stronger, Safer Future After Cyclone Ditwah, Says President

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged a complete transformation of Sri Lanka’s disaster management system after Cyclone Ditwah exposed deep gaps in preparedness and relief response. In an interview with Newsweek, he described the cyclone as “catastrophic”—sweeping away villages, damaging infrastructure and claiming lives—while acknowledging that rapid action from defence forces, police, local authorities and international partners helped minimize further loss.

The President welcomed constructive criticism, calling it “essential for meaningful reform,” and openly admitted weaknesses in areas such as local-level preparedness, land-use regulation and the speed of relief delivery. “We are in government, and we want to fix the problems,” he said.

Dissanayake announced the establishment of a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a body with legal authority, stronger resources and enhanced coordination powers. Upcoming reforms include expanding radar coverage for forecasting, pre-positioning rescue equipment in vulnerable districts, and updated mapping of landslide-prone areas, especially in the central highlands. He noted that years of insufficient preparation had left communities exposed to predictable climate risks.

With climate change amplifying the frequency and intensity of natural hazards, the President warned that Sri Lanka could fall into a cycle of repeated destruction and recovery if decisive action is not taken. He emphasized that although Sri Lanka contributes little to global emissions, it faces some of the world’s most severe climate impacts—impacts that erase years of development.

The long-term resilience strategy focuses on climate-proof infrastructure, diversification into digital and tech-based industries, early-warning technology, and nature-based solutions such as mangrove restoration and reforestation.

Dissanayake also acknowledged the swift international support following the cyclone. He highlighted India’s immediate response under Operation Sagar Bandhu, including aircraft, MI-17 helicopters, naval support and NDRF teams. He thanked Pakistan and the Maldives for their timely assistance and noted broader global solidarity. Sri Lanka, he said, “cannot afford to rely on any single partner” and must maintain productive relationships that support sustainable development and resilience.

The President framed the country’s rebuilding mission as both urgent and transformational:
“At least now, our government will work with all partners to put effective, efficient and accountable systems in place. We will rebuild Sri Lanka, better than it was before.”