Sri Lanka’s meteorologists break their silence, insisting repeated cyclone warnings were ignored while misinformation erodes trust in a vital national service.
The Sri Lanka Meteorological Association has issued a firm public statement responding to widespread criticism directed at the Meteorological Department over alleged failures in issuing early warnings for Cyclone Ditwah.
Addressing public concern, the association stated, “We were warned about the storm 25 times.. We cannot listen to such criticism..” stressing that official alerts and technical briefings were communicated to relevant authorized institutions on no fewer than 25 occasions starting from November 23.
According to the statement, these warnings were issued through established disaster communication channels and followed internationally accepted meteorological forecasting standards. The association emphasized that responsibility for disaster preparedness and response involves multiple agencies, not the Meteorological Department alone.
The statement also raised alarm over what it described as a surge of untrue information circulating within society regarding the cyclone, weather forecasts, and the functioning of the Meteorological Department. Such claims, the association warned, are actively damaging the credibility of professional meteorologists and undermining public confidence in early warning systems.
Reaffirming its commitment to public safety, the Sri Lanka Meteorological Association said it will continue to provide accurate cyclone forecasts, weather warnings, and climate risk assessments based on scientific data, while urging the public to rely on verified official sources during disaster situations.
