Missing Professional Leadership in Disaster Governance: Lessons from Cyclone DitwaOpinionA country that invests heavily in free education deserves professional leadership in return; the impacts of Cyclone Ditwa raise critical questions about whether that responsibility was fully honoured. During Cyclone Ditwa in Sri Lanka, that level of coordinated, proactive expert engagement was largely absent. If the academic sector remains passive, Sri Lanka risks losing one of its most potent tools for disaster risk reduction. Cyclone Ditwa must be the turning point when the country demands visible, proactive, ethically grounded leadership from its technical and academic elite. Dr. Duminda Perera is a Disaster Risk Reduction and Water Security Specialist (Civil Engineer & Hydrologist) with expertise in flood risk management, water security, and early warning systems.

Source: Sunday Times January 04, 2026 05:08 UTC