Although Cyclone Ditwah swirled across the skies, the true scale of destruction it caused to Sri Lanka is like an iceberg hidden beneath the sea. When we examine the country’s society, culture, and economy from all angles, the full depth of the damage is yet to be understood. In our history, we have never experienced a natural disaster that affected nearly one-fifth of the country’s land area.
Sri Lanka now faces the task of rising from this disaster. Turning the words of “Facebook heroes” who speak of recovery into real action,lifting communities out of devastation,requires immense and sustained effort.
Little learning from past disasters
Unfortunately, there appears to be little learning from past disasters. The construction rules, regulations, and disaster-response plans that were widely debated after the 2004 tsunami have largely been forgotten over the past 20 years. The same pattern can be seen following subsequent large-scale floods and landslides.
After a disaster of this magnitude, a country should not simply rebuild what existed before. Reconstruction must be guided by a forward-looking vision that improves lives for generations to come. Roads, energy systems, education, enterprise development, agriculture, and even the country’s legal and regulatory framework should be planned with future generations in mind, while taking into account technological innovation and global trends.
Two basic requirements are central to this effort: financial resources and technical expertise.
Need Rapid Assessment
Recently, Deputy Minister of Finance Professor Anil Jayantha stated that it may take at least six months to arrive at a realistic assessment of the damage caused by the disaster. However, such an assessment must be expedited. There is a clear need to appoint a dedicated task force and carry out this evaluation as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Essential Services has estimated the damage at between USD 6–7 billion, equivalent to about 6–7 percent of Sri Lanka’s GDP.
The government has now requested the World Bank to conduct a Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE) to assess the losses caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Accordingly, a detailed damage assessment and an evaluation of the financial requirements for reconstruction are currently under way. This report, expected to be received within the next day or two, should provide a clearer picture of the scale of the damage.
Securing assistance from the international community
To meet these challenges, Sri Lanka will need to mobilise substantial domestic capital while also securing assistance from the international community.
Many scholars have shared their views on the importance of obtaining international support, and several have emphasised the need to convene an international aid conference. The December 2004 tsunami offers a useful template for how Sri Lanka can effectively leverage global assistance for post-disaster reconstruction.
In May 2005, a major international conference was held in Kandy, with more than 100 foreign delegates in attendance, including representatives from the United Nations and the World Bank, to discuss post-tsunami recovery efforts. Through this conference, Sri Lanka was able to secure nearly USD 3 billion in aid and relief. A US report later noted that the funds pledged exceeded Sri Lankan authorities’ expectations by around USD 500 million.
It is also worth recalling a proposal made a few days after the disaster by Kana Kananathan , a Sri Lankan ambassador who represented several African countries, including Kenya, and a prominent entrepreneur. He emphasised that by clearly communicating the gravity of the situation to the global Sri Lankan diaspora, it would be possible to mobilise around USD 2 billion within two months. However, he also stressed that such an effort would place significant responsibility on Sri Lanka’s foreign missions. If this assistance could be channelled partly as investment, it would bring long-term benefits to the country.
An international aid conference could bring all these elements together. Therefore, priority should be given to the rapid preparation of forward-looking reconstruction plans by qualified technical experts, alongside the organisation of an international conference that can mobilise timely assistance based on realistic and well-founded damage assessments.
