Authorities are strengthening the coastal disaster preparedness and resilience through the UNESCO-IOC Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme, with the inaugural meeting of the National Tsunami Ready Board (NTRB) held at the Disaster Management Centre in Colombo.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) attended the meeting, where the Board approved operational guidelines for Tsunami Ready Local Committees and 12 national performance indicators covering tsunami preparedness and response.
The Board also approved pilot implementation of the programme in Manalkadu, Jaffna and Wenamulla, Galle.
The 15-member NTRB will coordinate the national programme in line with Sri Lanka’s National Disaster Management Plan 2023–2030, aimed at enhancing preparedness in vulnerable coastal communities, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence.
Senior military officials and representatives from government institutions, universities, the private sector and other stakeholder organisations also attended the meeting.
