# Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka (A-PAD Sri Lanka)
## OVERVIEW
### RISK PROFILE
Sri Lanka's risk profile is characterized by persistent economic vulnerabilities alongside growing exposure to climate-related hazards. While the economy has stabilized following recent reforms and debt restructuring, challenges remain in reducing poverty, restoring debt sustainability and maintaining macroeconomic stability. Climate change is expected to increase risks from flooding, droughts, heat stress and extreme weather events, with potential impacts on agricultural productivity, infrastructure, livelihoods and long-term economic growth.
The Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka ([A-PAD Sri Lanka](https://apad.lk/)) enables the Sri Lankan private sector to engage faster and more efficiently in national disaster management strategies. It is part of the National Disaster Management Coordinating Committee (NDMCC) and works with over 700 companies and more than 100 NGOs and government partners, including the Ministry of Disaster Management and the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). A-PAD Sri Lanka supports coordination in disaster risk reduction and mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, while also facilitating capacity building efforts in Sri Lanka. More specifically, A-PAD Sri Lanka’s work complements the government’s efforts by creating effective public-private partnerships and institutionalizing business continuity planning, thus strengthening community and business resilience. The organization also facilitates civil-military coordination in humanitarian response.
Over the years, A-PAD Sri Lanka has:
- Sent out early warning messages to its member companies and the public ahead of impending disasters;
- Coordinated private sector contributions to address natural hazards and manmade disasters, including flooding, drought, landslides, urban fires, disease outbreaks and violence;
- Conducted internationally accredited [Search & Rescue (SAR) training sessions](/pad-sri-lanka-civil-military-cooperation-cimic-search-and-rescue-operations/) for civil-military personnel;
- Strengthened business and community resilience by facilitating capacity building training sessions on disaster risk reduction and business continuity planning;
- Promoted public-private partnerships and multi-sectoral engagement in humanitarian response.
A-PAD Sri Lanka responded to four disasters in 2021: COVID-19, an urban fire and two monsoons. The network coordinated a new pilot project in response to floods and landslides in June 2021. Its member company, Union Assurance PLC, provided 3,000 cooked meals to people who were severely affected by floods in the Kaduwela DC division. As the country was in COVID-19 lockdown, A-PAD Sri Lanka helped identify safe centres and arranged approval for travel/delivery, travel escorts, security and COVID-19 protocols, all in coordination with the national government and local authorities.
The network was also actively engaged in the response to the flooding that followed the heavy monsoon rain in November, sending search and rescue teams and distributing food rations to affected families.
In addition to their response activities, A-PAD Sri lanka trained dozens of people in search and rescue activities, in collaboration with regional partners, the military and local businesses.
For more information, please visit A-PAD Sri Lanka's [website](https://apad.lk) and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC83OxSc6H03Ii-X4bZnr-RA) channels.
*Cover Photo: Women trainees in search and rescue training in Sri Lanka. Photo: A-PAD Sri Lanka*
Show More Show Less
## Network at a glance
Host organization
Non-profit organization; national chapter of the international A-PAD network
Headquarters
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Number of members
Works with over 700 member companies and more than 100 NGO and government partners
Scale / Business reach
National
Contact person
Firzam Hashim
Contact email
info@apad.lk
Areas of focus
Drought, Flood, Landslide, Tropical cyclone, Tsunami
## Most recent emergencies
- Flood
- Sri Lanka
### Sri Lanka: Cyclone Ditwah related flooding and landslides November 2025
November 2025
18 SEP 2026 4:52 pm
[Read more about Sri Lanka: Cyclone Ditwah related flooding and landslides November 2025](https://connectingbusiness.org/our-impact/sri-lanka-flooding-and-landslides-november-2025/)
- Sri Lanka
### Sri Lanka Economic Crisis June 2022
June 2022
3 SEP 2026 2:30 pm
[Read more about Sri Lanka Economic Crisis June 2022](https://connectingbusiness.org/our-impact/sri-lanka-economic-crisis/)
## How we do it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxQKc2EXK2I
### Flood response in Sri Lanka
As part of the yearlong celebration of the five year anniversary of the Connecting Business Initiative (CBI), this video showcases CBI Member Network the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster management Sri Lanka (A-PAD Sri Lanka) and how it works on preparation and response to flooding.
## **l**atest from Sri Lanka
News Publications Case Studies Events
News November 26, 2025
### Strengthening Operational Readiness Through Multi-Sector Collaboration: Insights from the A-PAD International Symposium 2025
As disasters escalate across Asia-Pacific, the question of how countries strengthen real-time operational readiness has gained renewed urgency. At the Asia Pacific Alliance for…
[Strengthening Operational Readiness Through Multi-Sector Collaboration: Insights from the A-PAD International Symposium 2025](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/srilanka-international-symposium-2025/)
News October 27, 2023
### Music and Art to Raise Youth Awareness Around Disaster Risk Reduction in Sri Lanka
Little Anish Prasath celebrated his seventh birthday in Sri Lanka by asking all his friends to bring stationary items and other preschool necessities instead…
[Music and Art to Raise Youth Awareness Around Disaster Risk Reduction in Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/youth-disaster-risk-reduction-sri-lanka/)
News September 13, 2024
### Turning the Tide: 20 Years of Tsunami Readiness and Resilience
Earlier this month, I represented the OCHA/UNDP Connecting Business initiative at the Symposium hosted by the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka.…
[Turning the Tide: 20 Years of Tsunami Readiness and Resilience](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/turning-tide-20-years-tsunami-readiness-and-resilience/)
News August 21, 2024
### Early Warning and Location Technology Saves Lives in Sri Lanka
Can you imagine being caught out at sea in a fishing boat when a storm hits – let alone a cyclone, surge, or a…
[Early Warning and Location Technology Saves Lives in Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/early-warning-and-location-technology-saves-lives-sri-lanka/)
News August 3, 2021
### The Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka: supporting Disaster Management in Sri Lanka
[The Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka: supporting Disaster Management in Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/asia-pacific-alliance-disaster-management-sri-lanka-supporting-disaster-management/)
News September 9, 2025
### A trifecta of perspectives: How swift water rescue training shapes disaster management in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the 2004 tsunami remains a vivid memory. With coastal communities still highly vulnerable to tsunamis and other climate-related hazards, the Asia…
[A trifecta of perspectives: How swift water rescue training shapes disaster management in Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/srilanka-search-and-rescue-profiles/)
News June 25, 2025
### The business case for investing in prevention and preparedness: Lessons from Sri Lanka at the European Humanitarian Forum 2025
Albert Einstein is credited with saying that we cannot solve problems with the same thinking that created them in the first place. So, when…
[The business case for investing in prevention and preparedness: Lessons from Sri Lanka at the European Humanitarian Forum 2025](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/apad-european-humanitarian-forum-2025/)
CBI publications
August 18, 2022
### Resilient Tourism: A Guide for MSMEs in the Tourism Sector – Sri Lanka
Extreme events have catastrophic direct and indirect effects on corporate operations and continuity. These disastrous events have had a substantial influence on Sri Lanka’s…
[Resilient Tourism: A Guide for MSMEs in the Tourism Sector – Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/resilient-tourism-guide-msmes-tourism-sector-sri-lanka/)
CBI publications
August 18, 2022
### Sustainable Tourism Practices for MSMEs
The Sri Lanka Tourism Vision 2025 states that Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is growing at an exponential rate. Tourism was the third largest foreign…
[Sustainable Tourism Practices for MSMEs](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/sustainable-tourism-practices-msmes/)
CBI publications
November 10, 2021
### CBI Member Network Overview: Sri Lanka
The Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management Sri Lanka (A-PAD SL) aims to coordinate and facilitate disaster preparedness, mitigation, disaster risk reduction (DRR), recovery,…
[CBI Member Network Overview: Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/cbi-member-network-overview-sri-lanka/)
Case Study
February 6, 2024
### Türkiye earthquakes 2023: Lessons learned on business engagement in the humanitarian response
The earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria in February 2023 prompted a major humanitarian response led by the Turkish Government and supported by the…
[Türkiye earthquakes 2023: Lessons learned on business engagement in the humanitarian response](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/case-studies/case-study-turkiye-earthquakes-2023-lessons-learned-on-business-engagement-in-the-humanitarian-response/)
Event September 19, 2024
### Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024
In the context of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024, CBI is partnering with a number of other organizations to…
October 14, 2024
[Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) 2024](https://connectingbusiness.org/events/apmcdrr-2024/)
News October 29, 2021
### Do No Harm, they say – but what does that mean for private sector disaster management?
When the Asia-Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management in Sri Lanka (A-PAD SL) partnered with the private sector to deliver meals for flood-affected people earlier…
[Do No Harm, they say – but what does that mean for private sector disaster management?](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/do-no-harm-they-say-what-does-mean-private-sector-disaster-management/)
News April 12, 2022
### Championing early warning and action: How the private sector addresses extreme weather events
At the Connecting Business initiative, we work with businesses in many of the countries that are most exposed and vulnerable to the impacts of…
[Championing early warning and action: How the private sector addresses extreme weather events](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/early-warning-private-sector/)
News June 24, 2022
### Lessons from Sri Lanka: It’s time to recognise business as first responders
Since February, the international community’s attention has been focused on the terrible crisis unfolding in Ukraine. Few foreign media outlets paid attention to the…
[Lessons from Sri Lanka: It’s time to recognise business as first responders](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/lessons-sri-lanka-its-time-recognise-business-first-responders/)
News September 19, 2022
### Learning from Sri Lanka: How local business supports recovery from complex crises
As Sri Lanka goes through a multi-dimensional crisis, our Network Coordinator, Rhiza Nery, visited the country to work with CBI Member Network in the…
[Learning from Sri Lanka: How local business supports recovery from complex crises](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/learning-from-sri-lanka/)
News October 14, 2022
### A-PAD Sri Lanka: Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) for Search and Rescue Operations
Through civil-military cooperation, A-PAL SL is helping train volunteers to be better prepared to floods
[A-PAD Sri Lanka: Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) for Search and Rescue Operations](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/pad-sri-lanka-civil-military-cooperation-cimic-search-and-rescue-operations/)
News June 23, 2023
### Enhancing Resilience through Business Continuity Planning
This year, for the World Micro-, Small and Medium-Enterprise (MSME) Day on June 27, the United Nations set the theme of “Galvanizing MSMEs worldwide…
[Enhancing Resilience through Business Continuity Planning](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/msme-day-2023/)
News August 17, 2023
### Rising to the Challenge: Private Sector’s “No Matter What” Commitment to Climate and Disaster Resilience
This year, #nomatterwhat is the theme for World Humanitarian Day, highlighting the continuing commitment to deliver humanitarian support to affected communities no matter the…
[Rising to the Challenge: Private Sector’s “No Matter What” Commitment to Climate and Disaster Resilience](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/whd-2023/)
News November 6, 2023
### How business can contribute to Tsunami preparedness: Examples from Fiji, Haiti, and Sri Lanka
A tsunami is a series of giant waves typically caused by an earthquake or underwater volcanic eruption. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as…
[How business can contribute to Tsunami preparedness: Examples from Fiji, Haiti, and Sri Lanka](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/tsunami-preparedness/)
News November 5, 2024
### World Tsunami Awareness Day: Advancing Skills for Life-Saving Water Rescue Operations
In Sri Lanka, many still remember the 2004 tsunami with vivid clarity. With coastal communities that remain highly vulnerable to tsunamis and other climate-related…
[World Tsunami Awareness Day: Advancing Skills for Life-Saving Water Rescue Operations](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/swift-water-rescue-tsunami/)
News November 7, 2024
### Bridging Science and Business Solutions to Foster Disaster Resilience
Co-authored by Dr. Mona Chhabra Anand, Asia Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC); Firzam “Hush” Hashim, Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management (A-PAD); Silvestre Z. Barrameda…
[Bridging Science and Business Solutions to Foster Disaster Resilience](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/bridging-science-business-solutions/)
News April 28, 2025
### A case for cross-sector partnership: The power of logistics
In response to Cyclone Chido that made landfall in Mozambique in December 2024, Airlink Inc. (Airlink) devised a plan to get a shipment of…
[A case for cross-sector partnership: The power of logistics](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/power-of-logistics/)
News September 30, 2025
### Tourism: A catalyst for better disaster management
When we think about tourism, what comes to mind is often idyllic white-sand beaches, adventures on trains, and discovering new cultures as just a…
[Tourism: A catalyst for better disaster management](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/tourism-sector-disaster-management/)
News October 9, 2025
### Speaking the Same Language: Sphere Standards for more effective business engagement in emergency response
Imagine someone you love has been in a car accident. What would you expect from medical services? Speed. Professionalism. Trained personnel. Kindness. No mistakes.…
[Speaking the Same Language: Sphere Standards for more effective business engagement in emergency response](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/sphere-standards-humanitarian-engagement/)
News December 4, 2025
### From Vaults to Villages: How Banks Build Financial Resilience in Crisis Response
What comes to mind when you picture a bank supporting a flood response? Access to cash? Ensuring liquidity? What about the vulnerability of the…
[From Vaults to Villages: How Banks Build Financial Resilience in Crisis Response](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/role-of-banks-in-disasters/)
News February 27, 2026
### When the Floods Receded, Learning Returned: A-PAD Sri Lanka’s Effort to Revive Education
When Cyclone Ditwah swept across Sri Lanka, it not only tore through roads and mountains, but it also quietly unsettled the routines that gave…
[When the Floods Receded, Learning Returned: A-PAD Sri Lanka’s Effort to Revive Education](https://connectingbusiness.org/news/recovery-efforts-school-supplies-srilanka/)
Report
April 14, 2021
### CBI Progress Report 2020
The Connecting Business initiative (CBI) Progress Report provides an overview of the achievements in 2020 and results of the CBI Annual Survey. CBI supported…
[CBI Progress Report 2020](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/cbi-progress-report-2020/)
CBI publications
May 28, 2021
### Gender, Disaster Management and the Private Sector
This Connecting Business initiative (CBI) report presents the importance of gender in private sector and disaster management, as well as the interconnections between these…
[Gender, Disaster Management and the Private Sector](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/gender-disaster-management-and-private-sector/)
CBI publications
May 28, 2021
### Brochure: CBI COVID-19 response
CBI has been and is still working closely with the UN system, private sector networks and the broader business community to address the COVID-19…
[Brochure: CBI COVID-19 response](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/brochure-cbi-covid-19-response/)
CBI publications
May 28, 2021
### CBI Progress Report 2019
CBI Progress Report 2019 provides an overview of the achievements of CBI in 2019 as well as the results of the CBI Annual Survey.…
[CBI Progress Report 2019](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/cbi-progress-report-2019/)
Report
May 28, 2021
### CBI Progress Report 2018
It has been almost three years since CBI was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit. Private sector networks that are CBI Member Networks are…
[CBI Progress Report 2018](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/cbi-progress-report-2018/)
CBI publications
May 28, 2021
### CBI Progress Report 2017
CBI Progress Report 2017 provides an overview of the achievements and results of the first CBI Annual Survey. Whereas feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,…
[CBI Progress Report 2017](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/cbi-progress-report-2017/)
CBI publications
June 25, 2021
### Situational Reports for COVID-19 activities in CBI Member Network countries
The Situational Reports (SitReps) for COVID-19 present a brief overview of key figures such as the status of COVID-19 cases as well as the…
[Situational Reports for COVID-19 activities in CBI Member Network countries](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/situational-reports-covid-19-activities-cbi-member-network-countries/)
Briefing
December 24, 2025
### Briefing Note for the Private Sector Humanitarian Priorities Plan: Cyclone Ditwah
Cyclone Ditwah caused severe flooding in Sri Lanka in over two decades, following intense rainfall and landslides across the country in late November 2025.…
[Briefing Note for the Private Sector Humanitarian Priorities Plan: Cyclone Ditwah](https://connectingbusiness.org/knowledge-hub/publications/briefing-note-private-sector-humanitarian-priorities-plan-cyclone-ditwah/)
View more View more