A tsunami of natural disasters hits Sri Lanka in a decade

Droughts, floods, landslides and cyclones are among them

• Successive governments spent over Rs. 30Bn on compensation
• Sri Lanka recorded 496 disasters in 2015, 535 in 2016, 736 in 2017, 1,287 in 2018, 1,755 in 2019, and 1,887 in 2020
• Rising frequency of disasters underscores the urgent need to strengthen disaster preparedness

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana 

Sri Lanka has experienced more than 44,000 natural disasters, including minor ones, over the past decade from 2015 to 2025, forcing successive governments to spend over Rs. 30 billion on compensation for affected communities, Parliament was informed yesterday. 

Deputy Defence Minister Anura Jayasekera, responding to an oral question raised by MP Kins Nelson, said the country recorded a sharp rise in disasters between 2015 and 2025, including droughts, floods, landslides and cyclones. 

According to the Minister, Sri Lanka recorded 496 disasters in 2015, 535 in 2016, 736 in 2017, 1,287 in 2018, 1,755 in 2019, and 1,887 in 2020.

The number rose dramatically thereafter, with 6,860 incidents reported in 2021, 6,642 in 2022, 8,605 in 2023, and 9,216 in 2024. From January 1 to October 31, 2025, the country recorded a further 

6,398 disasters. The Minister said compensation payments to disaster victims amounted to Rs. 739 million in 2015, Rs. 5.74 billion in 2016, Rs. 10.65 billion in 2017, and Rs. 13.78 billion in 2018. Payments declined in subsequent years, with Rs. 2.74 billion spent in 2019, Rs. 1.35 billion in 2020, Rs. 1.32 billion in 2021, Rs. 790 million in 2022, Rs. 923 million in 2023, Rs. 1.78 billion in 2024, and Rs. 665 million in 2025 up to October. 

In addition, Parliament was told that from 2015 to the end of 2025, Rs. 243 million had been allocated to the Department of Meteorology, Rs. 3.4 billion to the Disaster Management Centre, Rs. 40.37 billion to the Disaster Relief Centre, and Rs. 14.9 billion to the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO). 

The Minister noted that the rising frequency of disasters underscores the urgent need to strengthen disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and climate resilience measures across the country.