ACCIMT identifies 4,800 landslide-prone areas following cyclone Ditwah

12 January 2026 05:14 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 2 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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Colombo, January 12 (Daily Mirror) - The Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT) has identified around 4,800 landslide-prone areas in Sri Lanka, based on satellite imagery captured after Cyclone Ditwah, the institute confirmed today.

ACCIMT Director General, Mrs. Kumari Meegahakotuwa, told the media that the mapping was carried out using advanced satellite images, which revealed a significant number of landslide-prone zones beyond those previously broadcasted and reported in the media. She added that the central hills recorded the highest number of landslides.

“Most of the time in our country, preparations are taken only after landslides occur, rather than proactively in advance,” Mrs. Meegahakotuwa said.

To address this, ACCIMT has decided to share the satellite map data with relevant institutions under the Disaster Management framework, universities, and other external agencies through the Ministry of Science and Technology.

In addition, inundation maps have been created to indicate the areas submerged during floods and to help authorities identify residents who need to be relocated from flood-prone zones.

Comments - 2

Geotechnical Engineer Tuesday, 13 January 2026 01:39 AM

OK- you have identified potential landslide locations. Have you done a risk assessment? based on this, have you identified the driver mechanisms for this instability. Thereafter did you look for the most appropriate Geotechnical Engineering solution to stabilize these slopes. Often it is poor surface drainage that seeps through tension cracks that accelerate the failure process by elevating excess pore water pressure. Unfortunately, NBRO is loaded with Geologists who can identify the area of failure and DO NOT have the right skill sets to stabilize these failures. Worst of all, they are not ready to accept free technical skills offered by overseas experienced ex-Sri Lankans.

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Satellite map be published in newspapers? Tuesday, 13 January 2026 07:39 AM

Is it too much to request that the said satellite map be published in newspapers so that the general public living in these areas be aware of the danger? Otherwise they will be living in a fools paradise not realizing the danger in their lives.

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