Disaster warning centres operative

Ministry to reach 100 early warning centres target:

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said 50 early warning centres have been established islandwide during the past four years by the Disaster Management Centre and Cabinet approval has been granted for the construction of another 25 centres.

Minister Samarasinghe was speaking at a press briefing at the Information Department, yesterday.

The Minister said only 25 more centres have to be set up to accomplish the 10-year plan of construction of 100 early warning centres by the Disaster Management Centre. The Centres will warn the public on tsunami, storms and hurricanes.

The Minister also recalled that the country was unable to be informed of the tsunami in 2004 until it reached Sri Lankan shores one and half hours after the earthquake in Sumathra. “But now we are equipped with facilities to learn of such situations after in 15 minutes once such an incident occurs,” he said.

The Minister also noted that the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were met by the Disaster Management Centre for two years. The NGOs in Kilinochchi were removed from that area.

Referring to the services provided during the past four years by the Meteorological Department coming under his purview Minister Samarasinghe said, the Ministry could establish 38 Automatic Weather Observation Centres island wide at a cost of Rs 733 million making the weather forecast more accurate and instant.

The establishment of a Doppler Radar System on the peak of the Gongala mountain at a cost of Rs 400 million would be completed next year.

Minister Samarasinghe dwelling on the services rendered under the National Building Research Organization said it had studied 425 areas prone to landslides during the past three years and designed a map. It also had taken measures to educate people and schoolchildren in this regard.