Natural disasters can cause significant loss of life and property and may undermine decades of development progress. In Sri Lanka, the majority of natural disasters are hydro-meteorological in origin, including floods, cyclones, landslides, and droughts. While Sri Lanka is not prone to earthquakes or volcanic activity, it is vulnerable to tsunamis.

Advances in technology and hazard warning systems enable the prediction of flood, cyclone, and landslide risks several days in advance, and drought tendencies months ahead. These hazard risk levels can be forecast with sufficient confidence to support natural resource managers, policymakers, and decision-makers.

Key Projects Undertaken:

• Can Drought and Flood Hazards be Skillfully and Robustly Assessed at Fine Spatial Resolution in Maldives and Sri Lanka? (2015–2019)
• Monitoring Drought and Assessing Climate Change in the Next Decades in Sri Lanka and Maldives (2014–2018)
• Assessing Drought and Enabling Adaptation through Rainwater Harvesting (2007–2009)
• Tsunami Relief (2004)
• Climate and Natural Disaster Hotspots (2002–2006)

 

1. Fine-Scale Assessment of Drought and Flood Hazards in Sri Lanka and Maldives (2015–2019)

This project implemented a hazard analysis framework that integrates multiple terrestrial indicators derived from satellite observations and climate and hydrological model simulations to assess hazard risks and climate variability impacts.

Key features:

• Fine spatial resolution drought and flood risk assessments
• Evaluation of utility for decision support in disaster management

Partners:

• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA-GSFC)
• Maldives National University (MNU)

Funding: PEER Program of the US National Academy of Sciences and USAID (Sri Lanka and Maldives)    

2. Monitoring Drought and Climate Change impacts in the Next Decades (2014 - 2018)

This collaborative project addressed the apparent contradiction between climate model projections of wetter conditions and the observed long-term drying trend in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Collaborating institutions:

• Foundation for Environment, Climate and Technology
• Maldives National University
• Maldives Meteorological Services
• Columbia University

Key activities and outcomes:

• Development of operational, state-of-the-art drought monitoring and prediction tools
• Climate research and drought risk assessments
• Climate change impact analysis on future drought risk
• Tool development for drought hazard analysis and monitoring
• Scientific publications (books and journals)
• Outreach, training, and participation in scientific conferences

Funding: PEER Program of the US National Academy of Sciences and USAID (Sri Lanka and Maldives)  

3. Assessing Drought and Enabling Adaptation through Rainwater Harvesting (2007–2009)

In collaboration with the University of Peradeniya, this project developed a systematic approach to drought assessment and rainwater harvesting (RWH) system design using climate data.

Key components:

• Development of a computer program using regional, seasonal, and long-term climate indicators
• Estimation of optimal rainwater collector and storage sizes at specified reliability levels
• Focus on domestic and home-garden RWH applications
• Proposal for installing an RWH unit in Idamelanda, Hanguranketa
• Community participation in planning and implementation

Funding:ProVention Consortium  

4. Tsunami Relief (2004)

Following the 26 December 2004 tsunami, two dedicated websites were developed to support recovery and relief efforts.

Services provided:

• Information on tsunami impacts, disaster management, and health care
• Regular updates on ground conditions
• Requests and offers of assistance
• Maps and regional weather and climate information
• Networking tools and directories of relief organizations, especially small community-based groups
• GIS-based interactive mapping tools to spatially contextualize relief activities

 

5. Climate and Natural Disaster Hotspots (2002–2006)

This project identified spatial and seasonal disaster risk hotspots in Sri Lanka at fine scales and analyzed the combined impacts of multiple hazards.

Key outcomes:

• Assessment of disaster vulnerability
• Proposal for disaster risk management strategies

Partners:

• Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR)
• Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
• The Earth Institute, Columbia University

Funding: The Earth Institute at Columbia University, with a grant from the World Bank
Publication: World Bank