Lessons from Cyclone Ditwah

LAST week we were once again reminded of the devastating human and economic cost, and the country's deep exposure to climate-driven disasters.

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In the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, over 150 lives have been confirmed lost. Entire communities have been displaced, a cultivation cycle disrupted, and the threat of waterborne disease looms large as floodwaters recede. It was the first major test for the current administration, and while the instinct for criticism is understandable, this moment calls for something more meaningful, a sober, constructive assessment of what worked, what failed, and what must urgently change before the next inevitable crisis strikes.

Extreme weather events are no longer rare occurrences. Global climate change has altered rainfall patterns, amplified storm intensity, and made hazards once expected "once a decade" far more frequent. Sri Lanka, situated squarely in the path of such climatic volatility, simply cannot afford complacency. The economic toll of Ditwah arrives at a moment when our country is already financially fragile. Another shock of this scale, if not met with better preparedness, could set back recovery efforts by years.