Sajith Slams Government Over 'Absolute Negligence' Ahead of Twin El Niño Disasters

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has launched a sharp attack on the Government, accusing it of "absolute negligence" in its failure to adequately prepare for two simultaneous natural disasters linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon that are threatening to strike Sri Lanka.

A Warning Gone Unheeded

Premadasa, who leads the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, raised the alarm over what he described as the Government's dangerously complacent attitude in the face of well-documented climate warnings. He stressed that authorities had been given ample advance notice of the approaching twin disasters, yet meaningful preventive action remained conspicuously absent.

The Opposition Leader argued that Sri Lanka's vulnerable communities — particularly those in flood-prone and drought-affected regions — would bear the heaviest cost of this apparent lack of readiness.

El Niño Poses a Dual Threat

El Niño weather patterns are known to bring extreme and often contradictory climatic conditions, with some regions experiencing severe flooding while others face prolonged drought simultaneously. Sri Lanka, given its geographic and agricultural sensitivities, is considered especially susceptible to such dual impacts.

Meteorological agencies and international climate bodies have repeatedly flagged the heightened risk posed by the current El Niño cycle, making the Government's inaction all the more troubling, according to Premadasa.

The Government has shown absolute negligence in preparing the country for the twin disasters that now loom before us.

Calls for Immediate Government Action

The Opposition Leader called on the Government to take urgent and concrete steps to activate disaster preparedness mechanisms, mobilise resources for at-risk communities, and coordinate effectively with relevant national and international agencies.

• Immediate activation of early warning systems across vulnerable districts
• Pre-positioning of emergency relief supplies in high-risk areas
• Clear communication to the public on evacuation and safety procedures
• Strengthening inter-agency coordination between disaster management authorities

Premadasa's remarks come at a time when Sri Lanka continues to recover from the economic hardships of recent years, leaving many citizens with limited capacity to cope with the added burden of natural disasters without state support.

The Government has yet to issue a formal response to the Opposition Leader's accusations. As the El Niño threat intensifies, pressure is mounting on authorities to demonstrate that the island nation is not caught off guard when disaster strikes.

Related Video