Disaster maps out

Disna MUDALIGE

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) is to release the latest hazard maps on natural disasters covering the entire island by December, DMC Assistant Director (Research and Development) Srimal Samansiri told the Daily News yesterday.

He said that hazard mapping activities for coastal hazards, landslides, cyclones, droughts and floods are now being carried out with the UNDP funding. Coastal and drought hazard mapping projects have already been completed. Coastal hazard mapping includes tsunami, sea level rise, storm surge and sea erosion.

About 80 percent of cyclone hazard mapping has been completed while landslide hazard mapping has been carried out in the Nuwara Eliya and Galle districts. He noted that floods is the most frequent disaster experienced in Sri Lanka and affects over 50 percent of the country. “Flood mapping by ground verification and by satellite observation has been conducted over the last few years. Flood risk modelling will also be introduced shortly,” he said.

Hazard mapping projects are being implemented with the support of relevant technical agencies and universities. The DMC in coordination with the UN-SPIDER has organized a training programme to upgrade technical know-how in using space technology to improve hazard mapping. It will be held from August 14-17 at the Uva-Wellassa University.

The event will be attended by representatives from the Departments of Meteorology, Coast Conservation, Irrigation, Survey and Mapping, Agriculture and Census and Statistics,Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, National Building Research Organization.