The Indian Ocean Tsunami Exercise (IOWAVE 25) was successfully conducted on November 5th, 2025, as a large-scale regional simulation involving 28 countries across the Indian Ocean region. In Sri Lanka, the main national-level exercise was held in the Kalutara District, with parallel activities taking place in Batticaloa, Jaffna, and Galle. The overall objective of the exercise was to strengthen tsunami preparedness among government institutions and communities by training officials, validating existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and testing the effectiveness of the national tsunami early warning and communication systems in responding to a simulated tsunami triggered by a predicted earthquake.
This year’s Sri Lanka exercise focused on the rural communities in the Maha Waskaduwa South and Deshastra West Grama Niladhari Divisions under the Kalutara Divisional Secretariat, as well as the staff and tourists at the Tangerine Beach Hotel, identified as a tsunami prone coastal hotel. The event aimed to strengthen community preparedness, evacuation procedures, and inter-agency coordination during an emergency response scenario.
The Kalutara District Disaster Management Coordination Unit established an Emergency Operations Room at the District Secretariat, where all coordination activities were managed. From the beginning of the simulation, advance warnings and updates issued by the Disaster Management Center (DMC) were promptly communicated to all stakeholders under the supervision of the Assistant Director of the unit. Each stakeholder performed their assigned duties efficiently, following the official guidelines and directions issued through the Operations Room. The rural community, hotel staff, and tourists were successfully evacuated to designated safe centers located within the Tangerine Beach Hotel complex and Kalutara Tissa Maha Vidyalaya within the stipulated timeframe.
Local and international representatives participated in the evaluation process, while all key disaster management stakeholders in the Kalutara District contributed effectively to the success of the exercise. Following the field activities, a debriefing session was held at the District Secretariat Auditorium, attended by a Member of Parliament representing Kalutara District, the District Secretary and senior officials from the DMC including the Director (Preparedness and Planning) and Director (Operations), as well as representatives from government agencies, NGOs, and civil society organizations involved in the event.
Janathakshan GTE Ltd was privileged to represent the NGO sector during this national-level exercise held in Kalutara. Our team actively contributed to the evaluation of the event’s activities, ensuring that all coordination and operational measures were effectively monitored and assessed.
Overall, the IOWAVE 25 exercise concluded successfully, achieving its key objectives of testing and strengthening the national tsunami early warning and communication systems, validating the SOPs, and enhancing disaster preparedness among communities and institutions. The successful implementation of this regional exercise stands as a testament to the collective efforts of all stakeholders, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to building a safer and more resilient coastal environment for all.
