ComBank Partners with DMC to Boost Sri Lanka’s Disaster Readiness

Under its ‘Rebuild Together’ initiative, launched following Cyclone Ditwah to aid recovery and reduce future disaster risks, the Commercial Bank of Ceylon (ComBank) has taken a major step to enhance the country’s disaster preparedness and risk management capabilities. The Bank is funding a complete revamp of the RiskInfo Spatial Data Portal, managed by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

The devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah underscored the urgent need for robust, modern, and accessible risk information systems. The DMC, Sri Lanka’s national focal point for disaster risk management, coordinates preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. Key platforms like the RiskInfo Spatial Data Portal and the DesInventar database provide multi-hazard risk maps, exposure and vulnerability data, and historical disaster loss information.

These systems support evidence-based planning, early warning dissemination, and emergency response. They also inform critical decisions affecting communities, including urban redevelopment, safe relocation, infrastructure resilience, and sustainable business development—ensuring people, livelihoods, and long-term growth are better protected from climate and disaster risks.

Recognising the national importance of these systems and the gaps revealed by the recent cyclone, ComBank reviewed the existing infrastructure and identified the urgent need to modernise the RiskInfo Spatial Data Portal. The Bank’s support will enable enhancements to the portal’s architecture, visualisation tools, and data-sharing capabilities, making risk information more accessible, interoperable, and responsive to evolving climate and disaster risks.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Kapila Hettihamu, Chief Risk Officer of ComBank, said:

"Cyclone Ditwah was a stark reminder that Sri Lanka faces increasingly complex and far-reaching climate and disaster risks. As a leading financial institution, our responsibility extends beyond responding to crises to helping the country prepare for them. By collaborating with the DMC to upgrade the RiskInfo Portal, we are transitioning the nation from reactive recovery to proactive, data-driven disaster risk management."

He added: "This platform has the potential to save lives, protect livelihoods, and reduce long-term economic losses. It reflects our commitment to sustainability, sound risk management, and aligning the strength of the financial sector with Sri Lanka’s national resilience goals."

The revamp was formalised at an event held at the Disaster Management Centre, attended by Major General Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd.), Director General of DMC; Ms. Anoja Senevirathna, Director – Mitigation Research and Development Division, DMC; Mr. Kapila Hettihamu; and senior members of ComBank’s management and Sustainability Department.

Through this initiative, ComBank aims to focus not just on immediate relief but on long-term resilience and future readiness. As climate risks increasingly translate into financial risks, access to robust disaster and climate data also becomes essential for the banking sector—supporting improved credit assessments, asset protection, climate-resilient lending, and responsible investment decisions.

About Commercial Bank of Ceylon

ComBank is the first Sri Lankan bank with a market capitalisation exceeding US$ 1 billion and was the first in the country to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World. It has the highest Tier I capital base among Sri Lankan banks, is the largest private sector lender, and the largest lender to the SME sector.

A leader in digital innovation, ComBank is also Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon-neutral bank. It operates an extensive branch and ATM network island-wide and maintains a strong international presence, including 20 branches in Bangladesh, a Tier I bank in the Maldives, a microfinance company in Myanmar, and a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Its subsidiaries, CBC Finance Ltd. and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd., deliver a range of financial services through their own networks.