- Need for a unified building code and strict enforcement highlighted
After the devastating floods and landslides, Housing, Construction, and Water Supply Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe observed that many people who had previously resisted relocation from risk-prone areas had now themselves requested to be moved.
“When we attempted policies to remove unauthorised constructions around tanks, forests, and riverbanks in the past, there was resistance. Now, after the disaster, people themselves have come forward and requested the Government to relocate them. The floods have affected them to a large extent,” he said.
This shift underscores the immediate need for a structured operational mechanism to resettle communities safely, prevent future disaster risks, and integrate urban development and hazard mitigation.
Unauthorised construction
Unauthorised construction has long been recognised as a key contributor to flooding, landslides, and environmental degradation across Sri Lanka. Structures built without proper regulatory clearance often occupy flood-prone areas, riverbanks, slope risk zones, and coastal buffers.
The Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management reports that over 2,500 illegal constructions occupy sensitive coastal zones. In urban areas, encroachments on road reservations, waterways, and State land impede drainage and infrastructure development. Hill-country districts are particularly vulnerable, where construction on steep slopes without proper geotechnical clearance has amplified landslide risk.
Minister Ranasinghe emphasised the link between these constructions and the severity of recent disasters.
“There has been extensive damage on account of the floods and one of the foremost reasons is unauthorised structures. They have been constructed on lands that the Government has previously warned are flood-prone, and in landslide-prone areas, there have been illegal constructions. Even in areas not usually prone to flooding, construction quality is a concern. All of this has increased the risk and severity of floods,” he explained.
The Government estimates that more than 1,000 houses suffered irretrievable loss during the recent disasters. In certain landslide-affected areas, entire villages have vanished, leaving no trace of the land on which they stood.
Minister Ranasinghe stated that these conditions necessitated urgent discussions on resettlement and long-term relocation strategies, emphasising the importance of using the reconstruction process as an opportunity for sustainable development.
Integrating technical expertise in disaster response
The Government has engaged technical experts to guide reconstruction and relocation efforts, incorporating lessons from previous disasters and modern disaster science.
National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) Director General Dr. Asiri Karunawardena explained that the NBRO had updated landslide risk maps using recent satellite imagery and identified over 250 major landslides.
“Most of the damaged areas were indicated on our high-hazard zone maps. The critical factor was the scale of the disaster. The extreme rainfall impacted almost all high-hazard areas simultaneously,” Dr. Karunawardena said. He emphasised that adherence to early warning systems and hazard-free settlement locations was critical to prevent future losses.
The NBRO has long provided Landslide Risk Assessment Reports, mandatory for obtaining building permits in high-risk districts, as well as the Hazard-Resilient Housing Construction Manual to guide engineers, planners, and homeowners.
Dr. Karunawardena noted that the infrastructure systems in the country, including roads, utilities, and drainage, were not designed to withstand climate change-induced disasters. “The clear lesson is that our infrastructure systems are not resilient enough. We must adopt practices to build resilient infrastructure that ensures business continuity. We have to build back better,” he said.
Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Director of Preparedness and Planning Chathura Liyanaarachchi provided additional insight on disaster preparedness and the challenges posed by unauthorised construction. He highlighted the complexity of removing illegal structures due to legal and social considerations, noting that resettlement and compensation had to be carefully managed.
“A more feasible approach is to prevent future risk by strictly enforcing land-use regulations and building codes. Construction in high-risk areas should require permits based on thorough technical assessments and must integrate resilient measures, such as retention structures in landslide-prone zones,” he said.
Liyanaarachchi also emphasised that political and authoritative influences often complicated enforcement, underscoring the need for coordinated Government action.
Meanwhile, Minister Ranasinghe explained that the Government was developing an operational mechanism to manage resettlement, reconstruction, and hazard mitigation. This includes immediate relief efforts, restoration of essential services, and long-term urban planning.
“Our priority right now is to pursue rescue operations and save as many lives as possible. After that, we must ensure the displaced people have shelters and that their children can return to school. As a long-term plan, we intend to move towards resettlement and relocation,” he said.
The Government is assessing whether displaced communities can safely return to their original locations or need relocation to safer areas. Relocation strategies will consider the ability of people to maintain livelihoods, access to educational facilities, demographic impacts, and the functionality of critical infrastructure such as irrigation and water supply.
Minister Ranasinghe emphasised: “We cannot simply evict people living in unauthorised constructions. We must allocate housing, ensure their livelihoods can continue, and guarantee access to schools and essential services.”
The DMC has conducted extensive preparedness exercises, including district-level flood drills and a massive regional tsunami drill, to test operational readiness. Liyanaarachchi highlighted that while technical agencies could predict rainfall and cyclone events with some lead time, extreme events exceeding historical precedents posed challenges that could not be fully mitigated.
He also noted that previous policies to release water from reservoirs pre-emptively have faced public criticism, making precise, timely action essential.
The DMC emphasises that communications resilience is crucial in disaster response. Liyanaarachchi said: “Connectivity is paramount. Power failures led to tower outages and generators faced fuel issues, leaving areas like Ratnapura without power for days.
“Solar-powered solutions and drone technology need to be explored, but implementing resilient systems requires Treasury support, as current budget allocations for disaster risk reduction are disproportionately low compared to relief.”
Strengthening regulatory and legal frameworks
As part of the response to unauthorised construction, the Government is moving to strengthen regulatory and legal frameworks.
Proposed amendments would empower Local Government authorities to intervene in construction activity before projects reach completion, preventing illegal structures from becoming entrenched. Legislation is also being prepared to impose annual fines on unauthorised coastal developments, aiming to deter violations and protect environmentally sensitive areas.
The Urban Development Authority (UDA) and local councils have been given the authority to take enforcement action against illegal constructions, including issuing demolition orders, stop-work notices, and pursuing legal directives. In parallel, processes such as Cover Approval allow some existing unauthorised structures to be regularised if they comply with safety, zoning, and technical standards, balancing regulatory enforcement with social considerations.
Minister Ranasinghe emphasised that the Government was seizing the reconstruction process as an opportunity to implement long-term hazard mitigation and urban planning improvements.
“The Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) is the preliminary entity that formulates regulations. With their guidance, we are examining how this devastation can be turned into an opportunity to rebuild. ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ is our theme, and we are gathering data on risk-prone zones to develop new policies and regulations,” he said.
Unified National Building Code and technical guidance
A key component of long-term planning is the creation of a Unified National Building Code.
Developed collaboratively by CIDA, the NBRO, and the UDA, the code consolidates structural and material standards, zoning and land-use requirements, fire and safety protocols, and hazard-resilient construction practices. Once fully adopted, it will provide a consistent framework for construction across all districts and ensure that development aligns with disaster risk reduction and climate resilience objectives.
Dr. Karunawardena emphasised that this technical guidance must be integrated into all reconstruction and resettlement initiatives.
“The key lesson is that we must not disturb the natural environment. People living in mountainous areas must adhere to best practices, as this type of rainfall can occur at any time. It is vital to select hazard-free locations for settlements and heed early warning messages,” he said.
Liyanaarachchi reinforced the role of rigorous technical assessments in preventing future risk. “Construction in high-risk areas should require permits based on thorough technical assessments and must integrate resilient measures, such as retention structures in landslide-prone zones,” he stated.
Climate resilience and infrastructure upgrades
The recent floods have highlighted the need for broader climate resilience measures in infrastructure planning. Minister Ranasinghe emphasised that adaptation must go beyond housing to encompass urban drainage, irrigation systems, and essential services.
“You must understand that the climate is changing. Our drainage systems worked for decades, but weather patterns have changed. Disasters are now more frequent and risks are higher. We must adapt,” he said.
Dr. Karunawardena added that infrastructure systems must be redesigned to withstand extreme rainfall events and slope instability.
“We have to build back better. Specific measures include increasing drainage capacity, implementing slope stabilisation engineering solutions, and adopting construction and urban planning practices that work with natural systems rather than against them,” he explained.
Liyanaarachchi highlighted the importance of robust communications infrastructure to ensure operational readiness during disasters.
“We need dedicated, guaranteed communication lines for decision-makers and first responders. Power failures led to tower outages, leaving areas without connectivity for days. Lessons learnt include exploring solar-powered solutions and drone technology,” he said.
Rebuilding safely and sustainably
The Government has prioritised phased restoration of infrastructure, beginning with electricity, followed by road networks, with railway reconstruction expected to take longer. Once essential infrastructure is functional, the operational mechanism for resettlement, reconstruction, and enforcement of hazard-resilient building standards will be implemented.
Despite the scale of the disaster, the Government intends to maintain its developmental trajectory. Minister Ranasinghe said: “With this disaster, we must rethink the way forward. Despite the colossal damage, we have earned goodwill from the public and the international community, and we intend a very speedy recovery.
“The Budget and policy focus will guide this process, but we are committed to ensuring that our long-term developmental goals remain on track for 2026. To achieve that, we will optimise our resources and complete restoration to attain normalcy as quickly as we can. Relocation and resettlement of the people will be our next priority, and we must provide all the necessary resources to perform their daily activity as normally as possible,” he concluded.