News
Raging inferno off Negombo
As toxic debris gets washed ashore CEA claims everything under control
BY Ifham Nizam
Many people collected hazardous debris washed ashore from a fire-stricken container vessel off the Western coast, despite warnings. Authorities have urged people living along the coastal belt between Wattala and Negombo area not to touch debris from the ill-fated ship X-Press Pearl, some of whose containers have fallen into the sea.
The crew abandoned the vessel on Tuesday morning (25) following explosions on board the vessel. Well informed sources said that firefighting efforts hadn’t been successful and the fire fuelled by chemicals seemed out of control.
Chairman of Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Siripala Amarasinghe yesterday (26) warned of the danger of collecting various items washed ashore as the vessel was carrying a range of chemicals and other toxic items.
CEA Chairman Amarasinghe said that they had taken steps to prevent environmental damage caused by the ship, but the Negombo beach was littered with debris from the stricken vessel.
Police spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana yesterday said that people had removed various items washed ashore. Action would be taken against them, he said. The President’s Office in a statement issued yesterday late afternoon stated that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued instructions to the relevant authorities to minimise environmental damage.
Amarasinghe maintained that the CEA had taken steps to manage the waste entering the country due to the accident. Officers were currently conducting inspections at the relevant locations, he said.
“Contaminants from the “X-Press Pearl” accident are considered “hazardous waste” and have not yet been clearly identified,” the CEA Chief said.
Urging the public not to handle debris, the CEA asked them to inform the Central Office of the Central Environmental Authority or the 1981 hotline as soon as possible if there was any environmental problem in any area due to the shipwreck.
MEPA, Chairperson Dharshani Lahandapura yesterday said there could be hazard materials in the freight containers.
“We received information yesterday that around 20 containers fell into the sea from the vessel. Some of the containers have washed ashore to the Negombo beach.”
She also said that “plastic pebble” like element had washed ashore along the coastline covering an area of around 1.5 km, adding that “a clean-up project will be conducted very soon to clear the beach of harmful components”.
Informed officials also said fire onboard the MV X-PRESS PEARL continued to burn rapidly across the vessel.
National Aquatic Resources Research Agency (NARA) Director-General, Dr. Palitha Kithsiri said a special team of experts had been assigned to survey the toxic effluents from the stricken vessel.
The vessel registered under the Singapore flag is carrying 1,486 containers including 25 tonnes of Nitric Acid, several other chemicals, and cosmetics. It departed from the port of Hazira on India on May 15, 2021.
Sri Lanka Air Force had once again on Wednesday dropped 425 kilos dry chemical powder onto the MV X-Press Pearl in an attempt to contain the fire, said Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe – Spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Two Indian crew members of the distressed MV “X-PRESS PEARL” have been admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo.
The two Indian nationals who sustained injuries had been admitted on Tuesday, said Pushpa Ramyani De Zoysa, the Chief Nurse of the Colombo National Hospital. One of them has been tested Covid-19 positive.
An explosion was reported from inside the MV X-PRESS PEARL, on Tuesday morning ,and all 25 crew members were evacuated safely out of the vessel, Captain Indika de Silva, the Navy Spokesperson said.
The distressed container ship was manned by a crew of 25, who are Philippine, Chinese, Indian, and Russian nationals.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan authorities have finally decided to move the MV “X-PRESS PEARL” 50 nautical miles away from the Colombo Harbour into deep seas to prevent any further marine environment destruction around the country.
The Situation Report issued by the Disaster Management Center at 06:00 AM today [09th December] confirms that 635 persons have died due to floods and landslides that took place in the country within the past two weeks. The number of persons that are missing is 192.
News
Cyclone Ditwah leaves Sri Lanka’s biodiversity in ruins: Top scientist warns of unseen ecological disaster
Sri Lanka is facing an environmental catastrophe of unprecedented scale in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah, with leading experts warning that the real extent of the ecological destruction remains dangerously under-assessed.
Research Professor Siril Wijesundara of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies (NIFS) issued a stark warning that Sri Lanka may be confronting one of the worst biodiversity losses in its recent history, yet the country still lacks a coordinated, scientific assessment of the damage.
“What we see in photographs and early reports is only a fraction of the devastation. We are dealing with a major ecological crisis, and unless a systematic, science-driven assessment begins immediately, we risk losing far more than we can ever restore,” Prof. Wijesundara told The Island.
Preliminary reports emerging from the field point to extensive destruction across multiple biodiversity-rich regions, including some of the nation’s most iconic and economically valuable landscapes. Massive trees have been uprooted, forest structures shattered, habitats altered beyond recognition, and countless species—many endemic—left at risk.
Among the hardest-hit areas are the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, Seethawaka Botanical Garden, Gampaha Botanical Garden, and several national parks and forest reserves under the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Department. Officials describe scenes of collapsed canopies, destroyed research plots, and landscapes that may take decades to recover.
Prof. Wijesundara said the scale of destruction demands that Sri Lanka immediately mobilise international technical and financial support, noting that several global conservation bodies specialise in post-disaster ecological recovery.
“If we are serious about restoring these landscapes, we must work with international partners who can bring in advanced scientific tools, funding, and global best practices. This is not a situation a single nation can handle alone,” he stressed.
However, he issued a pointed warning about governance during the recovery phase.
“Post-disaster operations are vulnerable to misuse and misallocation of resources. The only safeguard is to ensure that all actions are handled strictly through recognised state institutions with legal mandates. Anything else will compromise transparency, accountability, and public trust,” Prof. Wijesundara cautioned.
He insisted that institutions such as the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Forest Department, and the Botanical Gardens Department must take the lead—supported by credible international partners.
Environmental analysts say the coming months will be decisive. Without immediate, science-backed intervention, the ecological wounds inflicted by Cyclone Ditwah could deepen into long-term national losses—impacting everything, from tourism and heritage landscapes to species survival and climate resilience.
As Sri Lanka confronts the aftermath, the country now faces a critical test: whether it can respond with urgency, integrity, and scientific discipline to protect the natural systems that define its identity and underpin its future.
By Ifham Nizam
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has categorised 192 persons as missing as search operations were scaled down in flood-affected areas.
The death toll has been placed at 635, while the highest number of deaths was reported from the Kandy District. Kandy recorded 234 deaths.
According to the latest data, a total of 1,776,103 individuals from 512,123 families, in 25 districts, have been affected by the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.
The DMC has said that 69,861 individuals from 22,218 families are currently accommodated in 690 shelters established across the country.
Death toll 635 as at 06:00 AM today [09]
Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Northern and Eastern provinces and in Polonnaruwa district
Cyclone Ditwah leaves Sri Lanka’s biodiversity in ruins: Top scientist warns of unseen ecological disaster
Disaster: 635 bodies found so far, 192 listed as missing
More help from Pakistan
H’tota Port says it was fully operational during extreme weather
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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