Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has criticized the Government for lacking adequate contingency plans to address potential drought followed by severe flooding and landslides predicted under El Niño conditions, citing a UN assessment that ranks Sri Lanka among elevated-risk nations.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has leveled accusations of "absolute negligence" against the Government, arguing that authorities have failed to develop comprehensive preparation strategies for anticipated dual climate disasters linked to El Niño patterns. According to Premadasa, the absence of a contingency plan to safeguard lives and infrastructure is unjustifiable given credible warnings of elevated risk.
The criticism follows a recent assessment by UN Asia-Pacific agencies, which has designated Sri Lanka as a country facing elevated concern regarding climate impacts. The joint study, conducted by the FAO, WFP, UN Women, WMO and other UN humanitarian organizations, identifies strengthening El Niño conditions as a significant threat during the approaching agricultural season.
Premadasa cautioned that El Niño effects may trigger not a single disaster but consecutive crises. The predicted sequence involves extended drought conditions through the year's end, followed by the return of heavy precipitation. The UN report warns that above-average rainfall is anticipated from October onwards as the Second Inter-Monsoon season commences, which could simultaneously replenish water reservoirs and present agricultural challenges. Excessive rainfall during the Maha planting season poses risks of flooding, waterlogging, and agricultural delays, the assessment notes.