Weather Related Disasters in Sri Lanka: Most Vulnerable and Where to Find Them Wimal Nanayakkara

Wimal Nanayakkara writes about way forward for dealing with disasters in Sri Lanka

The available data on natural disasters, covering a long period of time, need to be analysed in depth.  These findings should be used by city and town planners, as well as rural area planners, both at the national and the regional levels, when developing effective strategies to minimise the social and economic impacts of natural disasters. The sharing of available data/information and the proper coordination and collaboration between government agencies are absolutely essential in this regard.

The following recommendations should also be implemented.

1. Developing a comprehensive database and up to date website giving information on high risk areas, trends in natural disasters, the number of persons affected, time periods during which the disaster occurred by regions, etc.
2. Mapping areas frequently affected by floods, droughts, landslides, storms etc., so that people can avoid the high risk areas.
3. Making early warning systems more effective and efficient, so that the damage and loss of life is minimised. 
4. Using the available information, especially past trends, to control and reduce the adverse effects of natural disasters and to develop coping strategies. 
5. Establishing an effective system to rehabilitate the affected people, especially the poorer and economically vulnerable groups, to recover their assets and to help them to get on track to proceed with their livelihoods.

https://climatenet.blogspot.com/2018/11/weather-related-disasters-in-sri-lanka.html

SL ranked second in the Global Climate Risk Index 2019

Sri Lanka had been ranked second among the countries most affected by extreme weather events in 20 years since 1998 in the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.The Long-Term Climate Risk Index listed Sri Lanka, Puerto Rico as the top two affected countries. 

Sri Lanka was ranked fourth in the Climate Risk Index (CRI) in 2016 and it was in the 76th position in the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2017.

The Global Climate Risk Index 2019, was released at the annual climate summit in Poland's Katowice city yesterday. The report was prepared to analyse damages caused by the extreme weather events that took place from 1998 to 2017.

According to the annual CRI for 2017, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka and Dominica ranked as the most affected countries in 2017 followed by Nepal, Peru and Vietnam. For the period from 1998 to 2017, Puerto Rico, Honduras and Myanmar rank highest. Nepal was ranked fourth and India 14th in the list.

According to the index, altogether, more than 5,26,000 people died as a direct result of more than 11,500 extreme weather events; and losses between 1998 and 2017 amounted to around US$ 3.47 trillion. 

The Index said, in May 2017, heavy landslides and floods occurred in Sri Lanka after strong monsoon rains in southwestern regions of the country. More than 200 people died after the worst rains on the Indian Ocean island since 2003. The monsoons displaced more than 600 000 people from their homes and 12 districts were affected. The inland southwest district of Ratnapura was most affected where over 20,000 people faced flash floods.

The Global Climate Risk Index 2019 analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather-related loss events such as storms, floods, heat waves etc. The most recent data available for 2017 and from 1998 to 2017 were taken into account. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/SL-ranked-second-in-the-Global-Climate-Risk-Index--159427.html