Disasters and Cascading Impacts: Evidence from a Sri Lankan Extreme Rainfall Event

The impact of hydrometeorological events can be exacerbated by endemic challenges faced by countries in the Global South, yet less is understood about sub-national scalar differentiation vis-à-vis these impacts. This study therefore contextually analyses disaster-related impacts connected to a recent extreme rainfall event that occurred on 2 June, 2024 in the Eheliyagoda DSD, Sri Lanka, taking into account previous extreme weather events and impacts from a multi-scalar perspective. CHIRPS remote sensing data covering 1990 to 2019 is deployed in tandem with extensive qualitative input (focus group discussions and individual interviews) from local informants with knowledge of the area stretching back decades. Results suggest that the Danagala mountainous area experienced heightened and cascading disaster effects (e.g., land deformation, cracking, and tree disruption) resulting from torrential rainfall compared to the rest of the GNDs in the Eheliyagoda DSD, which in turn result in negative physical, economic, and psychological ramifications. While quantitative analyses reveal no clear association between temporal patterns and rainfall events, evidence presented nonetheless suggests cascading effects in the region studied. This is important because cascading effects may portend serious disaster risks going forward, for example landslides and more extreme flooding even in areas previously considered safer from these risks. Finally, results suggest that psychosocial resilience be factored into disaster risk reduction frameworks.