– The World Bank has provided Rs. 30 million to compensate for damages caused by Cyclone Ditta under a disaster management strengthening project, Meteorology Department Director General Athula Karunanayake, said today.

He said that the Treasury Secretary has agreed to implement the project using World Bank funds until December this year, after which it is expected to continue with national budget allocations. He expressed hope that the commitment made by the Treasury Secretary will be successfully fulfilled.

Karunanayake said that although the initiative involves a multi-million-rupee effort to address cyclone-related damages, the broader disaster management programme is a long-term undertaking. He added that its implementation would significantly improve weather forecasting and information delivery through digitalisation.

He also said this would be his final “Monsoon Forum” and confirmed that he will retire from public service on May 15, concluding a career spanning 36 years and 10 months. He said his tenure had helped him gain extensive experience and skills.

Karunanayake further said that the Meteorological Department has been transformed compared to the past, noting that earlier there were perceptions that weather conditions were unpredictable in a simplistic way, a view even once echoed by the President.