Did the NPP government deactivate the National Disaster Management Centre right after coming into power?

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Various statements have been circulated on social media claiming that the current government has disabled the National Disaster Management Centre, suggesting that this has led to a disastrous situation within the country. After our investigation, we found that the claim is false.

Social Media Posts

Social media posts implied that the current government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake disabled the National Disaster Management Centre, alleging that this action led to Sri Lanka’s crisis due to Cyclone Ditwah.

Facebook | Archived Link

Below is another post with the same narrative

Fact Check

In accordance with the provisions of the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No. 13 of 2005, the Disaster Management Centres have been established as the executive body of the National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM). Since the establishment of the National Disaster Management Centre, its official website and all disaster management programmes under its supervision have continued to be regularly updated to this day.

During the presidency of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2019, several institutions previously under the supervision of the Ministry of Disaster Management were transferred to the Ministry of Defence, including the Disaster Management Centre.

According to claims circulating on social media, if the National Disaster Management Centre were a disabled institution, its official website would not be updated. However, to date, the National Disaster Management Centre continues to maintain a fully functional and regularly updated website, disproving those claims.

Following the completion of the term of office of the former Director General, Major General (Retd.) H. M. U. Herath, Major General (Retd.) Sampath Kotuwegoda was appointed as the new Director General of the Disaster Management Centre (National Disaster Management Centre). This appointment further highlights the inaccuracy of the false claims and the continuous operations at the National Disaster Management Centre.

Similarly, after the current National People’s Power government came to power, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) was clearly stated as a state institution under the Ministry of Defence in the special gazette issued in November 2024 under the signature of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as follows.

Brigadier S. Joseph, Media Director and Media Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence

Furthermore, during an inquiry, the claim on social media that the National Disaster Management Centre, which operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence, is not functioning, was completely rejected by Brigadier S. Joseph, Media Director and Media Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence.

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Conclusion:

Our investigation shows that the social media post that the National Disaster Management Centre was deactivated after the current government was elected is false, and that this institution has continued to operate under the Ministry of Defence, as has been the case with previous governments, as well as the current government.