The Disaster Management Center says the ongoing bad weather has affected 79 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in 17 districts.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed Members of Parliament representing both the Government and the Opposition to urgently intervene in their respective districts to ensure the safety of the public and provide relief to those affected, as severe weather conditions and heavy rainfall are expected to intensify over the next two days.

The President issued these instructions during a special discussion held this morning (27) at the Parliament complex to review the emerging emergency situation caused by adverse weather and to assess the ongoing relief operations.

President Dissanayake directed MPs to visit their districts and assess the needs of the affected people, while also convening District Coordinating Committees and Regional Development Committees to identify current risks and potential disaster situations. The President stressed that MPs must act promptly and appropriately to safeguard lives and provide necessary relief.

It was decided that this matter would be further discussed at the Party Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for 2.00 p.m. today, as parliamentary and budget debates would be disrupted if MPs were to leave for their districts to provide relief.

The discussion broadly focused on rescue and public safety measures, uninterrupted delivery of health and welfare services to affected communities, and the continuation of essential public services. Special attention was also given to ensuring the smooth conduct of the GCE Advanced Level examination and the continuity of educational activities.

The President instructed officials to provide continuous cooked meals and dry rations to people staying at relief centres, those trapped in their homes and individuals temporarily residing with relatives due to flooding. He also highlighted the need for a proper mechanism to compensate families whose houses and farmlands have been damaged.

The President further emphasised the importance of closely monitoring the irrigation system, safeguarding major highways in landslide-prone areas, and ensuring the structural integrity of key infrastructure.

He directed the Director General of the Mahaweli Authority and the Irrigation Department to prepare contingency plans using real-time data from the Department of Meteorology and to manage water resources carefully during periods of heavy rainfall.

MPs representing the affected districts presented their observations, which contributed to the decisions taken at the meeting.

The discussion was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake, Government and Opposition MPs representing disaster-affected districts, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne, senior state officials, Commanders of the Tri-Forces and representatives of the Disaster Management Centre and the National Disaster Relief Services Centre.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that, with Cabinet approval based on the review of the public service recruitment process and the recommendations of the Carder Management Committee, graduates will be recruited to government vacancies through a structured process in the period ahead.