The unbowed spirit: Disaster and the enduring compassion and resilience of the Sri Lankan nation and lessons not learnt

The catastrophic weather events currently gripping Sri Lanka—a stark reminder of the island's vulnerability to the whims of nature and the accelerating threat of climate change—have once again tested the very foundations of the nation. Yet, in the face of this immediate crisis, a familiar and profoundly uplifting narrative has emerged: the innate resilience and boundless compassion of the Sri Lankan people. Time and again, from the devastating tsunami of 2004 to recurring flood and landslide cycles, disaster has unfailingly brought out the very best in the collective human spirit of the people.

The history of natural calamities in Sri Lanka offers a compelling comparison, highlighting both the sheer scale of shock events and the enduring, relentless nature of climate-linked disasters.

Despite their differences, both the tsunami of 2004 and the recurrent floods have triggered a uniform response from the public: an immediate and non-discriminatory outpouring of aid. The sheer scale of the tsunami's devastation created a shared national trauma that transcended ethnic and religious divides, uniting Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim communities in a common cause of rescue and rebuilding. Similarly, the perennial flooding of major river basins like the Kelani Ganga, Kalu Ganga, and Nilwala Ganga sees neighbours, friends, and strangers voluntarily stretching out, irrespective of their own financial situations, to assist those who have lost everything. These acts—whether providing dry rations, opening homes as temporary shelters, or joining rescue efforts—underscore the fundamental humanitarian values woven into the fabric of the Sri Lankan nation.

The response to every major calamity is a powerful reflection of the nation's core values. In Sri Lanka, this response is a symphony of coordinated efforts and spontaneous, selfless action.

The Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force and Police have consistently been the first and most dependable first responders. Their institutional capacity, equipment (boats, helicopters), and presence across the country make them pivotal in search, rescue, and evacuation operations. Likewise, local government officials, including District Secretaries and Grama Niladharis, form the backbone of the immediate relief chain, coordinating evacuation centres and needs assessments, often working tirelessly in submerged or high-risk conditions.

The most heartening aspect remains the spontaneous, grassroots mobilisation. Religious institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youth groups, and countless individual volunteers act as a vital bridge between state aid and the affected. They collect and distribute supplies, offer psychological support, and manage local relief camps.

While the current weather intensity may be attributed to a global pattern of climate change—with Sri Lanka already ranked among the countries most affected by extreme weather events—the argument for greater State responsibility is undeniable.

The tragic truth is that while authorities may not be able to prevent the raw intensity of extreme rainfall, the impact could have been significantly minimised. The regular, predictable flooding of known basins—Kelani Ganga, Kalu Ganga, Gin Ganga, and Nilwala Ganga—has been the subject of numerous studies and proposed mitigation schemes for decades.

Projects like major flood retention reservoirs or comprehensive river training works, have been delayed, shelved, or insufficiently funded due to political and economic reasons. In the Kelani basin, the inadequacy of the drainage system and flow hindrances caused by unplanned development remain persistent issues.

Encroachment on river reservations, filling of wetlands, and uncontrolled urbanisation in flood-prone marshy areas, particularly around Colombo, destroy natural flood retention capacity, making minor rainfall events disproportionately severe.

While there has been talk of a long-term approach to disaster risk management, the lack of continuous, comprehensive action plans and adequate financing mechanisms means that the country remains largely reactive. The estimated average annual loss from floods alone is considerable, but preventive investment has not kept pace with the growing risk.

Had there been sufficient political will and sustained capital expenditure to implement these long-identified flood prevention and management schemes, the current human and economic toll would have been drastically reduced. The focus must shift from merely responding to disasters to proactively mitigating the known, regular risks.

(Read the full version of this article in tomorrow's Sunday Times )