Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that due to the prevailing weather and climate conditions as well as climate-related anomalies, various disruptions have occurred, and according to reports, the proper mechanisms for issuing timely warnings about the resulting tragedies and risks had not been activated. He further said that 2,100,000 individuals from 611,000 families in Sri Lanka have been displaced, that many have lost their lives and property, and that tens of thousands of people remain missing. Premadasa added that if early warnings had been properly issued, the damage could have been reduced to some extent.
He made these remarks today during his visit to an evacuation camp at Galapitamada Kapugoda Estate Tamil School in Warakapola, where he inspected the shortcomings and conditions faced by the displaced people.
Premadasa stated that it is incomprehensible why the disaster-management mechanism failed to activate when the Department of Meteorology had issued warnings. He noted that for 15 days, both local and international media institutions and weather-forecasting agencies had issued alerts, yet despite such warnings, the disaster-management system had not functioned as required. He emphasized that knowingly failing to act in the face of disaster risks is a violation of the fundamental and human rights of the affected people.
He added that although lessons were not learned even from the tsunami, at least from this disaster the country must learn and take steps to minimize the various climatic and weather-related impacts Sri Lanka continues to face. He stressed that the disaster-management mechanism must be reformed and that this is a responsibility owed to the people who lost their lives and livelihoods.
Premadasa further stated that although basic facilities have been provided to the affected people, a special program is needed to restore their lives to normalcy. Until then, the displaced people must be given the maximum possible relief. He emphasized that they must be provided not only food and drink but everything necessary for human survival.
