President Sheikh Mohamed on Friday received a telephone call from Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during which the two leaders discussed the severe impact of recent floods in Sri Lanka and ongoing humanitarian assistance.
During the conversation, President Dissanayake expressed appreciation for the continued humanitarian support provided by the United Arab Emirates to communities affected by heavy rainfall and flooding across Sri Lanka, according to the state news agency Wam.
President Sheikh Mohamed conveyed his condolences to the Sri Lankan leader and people over the loss of life caused by the floods and extended his wishes for safety and resilience as the country recovers from the disaster.
More than 1,500 people have died across the region, with flooding affecting Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The devastation was triggered by three tropical cyclones coinciding with the north-east monsoon, which typically brings heavy rainfall to South-East Asia at this time of year.
Infrastructure damage in Sri Lanka has been described as extensive, with only about a quarter of the country’s 1,593-kilometre railway network currently usable. Nationwide, 483 dams, 1,936 canals and around 55,000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed. The Sri Lankan government estimates the total damage to be in the billions of dollars.
In response, emergency relief operations were rapidly launched through the Joint Operations Command, the UAE Agency for International Aid, and the Emirates Red Crescent.
Relief efforts included search and rescue missions in the worst-affected areas by teams from Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, along with the delivery of essential food items and emergency shelter materials to families displaced by the floods.
