Natural disasters and population impact in Sri Lanka, 2010–2025

Background Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to climate-sensitive natural hazards, yet long-term national evidence on disaster patterns and human impacts remains fragmented. Robust synthesis of historical disaster data is essential to inform prevention, preparedness, and public health resilience. This study aimed to characterize temporal trends, dominant hazard types, and population-level impacts of natural disasters in Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2025. Methods A retrospective secondary analysis was conducted using publicly available humanitarian reports published between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2025, retrieved from ReliefWeb, operated by the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Reports describing natural disaster events in Sri Lanka and documenting disaster type, date, location, affected population, displacement, or mortality were included. Events were cross-checked to avoid duplication. Descriptive epidemiological analysis summarized disaster frequency, temporal patterns, and aggregate human impacts. Results Between 2010 and 2025, natural disasters affected 15,586,967 people, displaced 1,497 277 individuals, and caused 1,328 deaths. Floods, frequently occurring in combination with landslides, were the most frequent and impactful hazards, accounting for over 6 million affected individuals and 479 deaths. Cyclone-related disasters, although less frequent, were associated with the highest mortality (538 deaths). Droughts affected more than 4.1 million people but were rarely linked to displacement. Substantial inter-annual variability was observed, with major peaks in 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2025. Conclusions Natural disasters impose a sustained and substantial public health burden in Sri Lanka, predominantly driven by hydrometeorological hazards. Strengthening national disaster surveillance systems, integrating health impact reporting into disaster databases, and prioritizing flood- and landslide-risk reduction are critical to enhance population resilience aimed at increasing climate variability.