The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, as of 6.00 p.m. today, due to floods, cyclonic winds and landslides, 455,405 families (1,614,790 persons) across all 25 districts have been affected. Reported deaths are 479: Kandy 118, Nuwara Eliya 89, Badulla 83, Kurunegala 56, Kegalle 30, Puttalam 29, Matale 28, with additional fatalities elsewhere. In the course of rescue, an Air Force officer, five Navy personnel and a Police officer sacrificed their lives. As a nation, we salute them.

¶ 02 As of 6.00 p.m., 350 persons are missing; 1,289 houses are fully damaged and 44,556 partially damaged; 188,974 people are in 1,347 shelters. Unlike 2004 where impacts were coastal, this has affected virtually all 25 districts. Even Government machinery and officials in some areas were initially victims, but within days the system was mobilized. The UN office in Sri Lanka has also documented the Government’s actions.

¶ 03 There is a claim that an official warning was issued on 12 November and ignored. I request any Member to table any official bulletin dated 12 November from the Department of Meteorology or any Government agency. We examined all Met Department advisories from 1–12 November. Up to the morning of the 12th, routine inter-monsoon statements mentioned scattered thundershowers without specific heavy-rain figures; the first quantified heavy rain mention (around 75 mm) appears only on the 6th afternoon. No official advisory on a cyclone, depression, or deep depression was issued on the 12th morning. Between 2–13 November, separate advisories were about heat or lightning, not cyclones.

¶ 04 On 13 November, the Met Department first noted increasing atmospheric disturbance from the east affecting rainfall in the North, North Central and East; on the 14th, projections of 75–100 mm in the North and Trincomalee, and 75 mm elsewhere. On the 15th, disturbance progressed to a low-pressure area; on the 16th–17th, it remained a low. On the 18th afternoon, it moved away, and temporary easing of rainfall was expected.

¶ 05 Later on 18 November night, a new potential low was noted over the southeast Bay of Bengal, expected to move near the northern coast; subsequent updates through 19–21 November continued to monitor this, largely as a marine hazard. Warnings were actively issued to multi-day fishing vessels via the Fisheries Department; no vessels or lives were lost at sea, indicating effective communication.

¶ 06 On 23 November, island-wide inter-monsoon rainfall of 75–100 mm was forecast. On 25 November at 10.00 a.m., the Met Department reported that the disturbance had developed into a low-pressure area with potential for heavy rain (up to 100 mm in several provinces). At 10.30 p.m. on the 25th, a red advisory was issued noting possible development into a depression. On 26 November, intensification continued; by afternoon it had become a depression and then a deep depression. On 27 November at 5.30 a.m., the Met Department officially reported the depression, forecasting up to 200 mm in North Central, North Western and Trincomalee, 150 mm in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western and Uva, and 100 mm elsewhere. By 1.00–4.00 p.m., it had intensified to a deep depression; by 8.00 p.m., it became a cyclone, named “Ditva.”

¶ 07 Thus: - No official bulletin on 12 November warned of a cyclone; - A disturbance was first noted on 13 November and subsided by the 18th; - A separate marine low developed 18–23 November and dissipated without land impact; - The land-impacting system developed from 25 November, officially escalating 26–27 November to a cyclone.

¶ 08 Once the 25 November low was notified, the Disaster Management Centre alerted the Defence Ministry’s Tri-Forces liaison, Tri-Forces, Police, Civil Security, Coast Guard, and all district-level officers to remain at posts and prepare for search and rescue. The National Disaster Relief Services Centre issued landslide-risk instructions on 26 November to activate village disaster committees and relocate at-risk residents. NBRO issued colour-coded advisories from 25 November for districts exceeding rainfall thresholds, and a red advisory for Nuwara Eliya on the 26th.

¶ 09 Irrigation Department: following the 25 November advisory, pre-flood readiness instructions were issued to regulate reservoirs, test gates, position sandbags, and coordinate releases. Data show major reservoirs were not near spilling at that time (e.g., Rajanganaya ~84–87%, Deduru Oya ~81% on 25 Nov; Kotmale ~41%, Polgolla ~83%, Randenigala ~87%, Rantembe ~70%). Gate operations were managed by engineers, not by political interference.

¶ 10 Tri-Forces preparedness: - Navy: from 25 Nov, 141 teams, 539 personnel, 130 small craft, 123 OBM boats, 91 vehicles, and 1,239 lifejackets; by the 27th expanded to 224 teams at 159 locations. The Puttalam–Anuradhapura corridor rescue at Kala Oya demonstrated extreme conditions; naval personnel risked their lives and five were lost in operations. - Air Force: 13 aircraft deployed; 104 Special Regiment personnel and 406 DART personnel engaged; 735 on standby; enabled rapid deployment as rains and floods peaked on the 26–27th nights. - Army: over 20,000 personnel were deployed across districts.

¶ 11 Police: from the 25th afternoon/evening, district police convened, used loudhailers and community policing committees to warn riverine and landslide-prone communities in multiple divisions (Kalutara, Colombo, Gampaha, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Tangalle, Galle, Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kantalai, Kandy, Gampola, Matale, etc.). Many GN areas were evacuated and sheltered; some residents returned prematurely, complicating protection.

¶ 12 Claims about “open the gates from the 13th” are baseless: the earlier disturbance eased by the 18th; indiscriminate releases could have worsened water scarcity or created downstream hazards. Reservoir operations followed engineering protocols.

¶ 13 Our meteorological capacity has limitations—radar coverage needs strengthening. We are advancing a radar in Puttalam. Forecast ceiling is typically up to 150–200 mm; predicting 400–500 mm extremes remains difficult, underscoring the need for upgrades.

¶ 14 We reject attempts at “disaster politics.” The Government, private sector and citizens are working to rebuild. Attempts to intimidate officials via misinformation have failed; circulars were adapted to expedite relief. We will table all official documents on actions taken and request any Member to produce any alleged 12 November official warning if it exists. Thank you.