The Government Information Center

DMC will be the main focal point responsible for coordinating early warning, along with the relevant technical agencies and Technical Committees, its dissemination and for ensuring last mile dissemination of same. The Multi Hazard Early Warning Dissemination Division of the DMC will be in constant coordination with all technical agencies responsible for natural and man-made hazards, and in instances of any imminent disaster it will take action to inform the responsible officers for onward communication to the sub-national levels and communities

Key Responsibilities

• Maintaining and operating Early Warning Towers and other early warning dissemination equipments
• Dissemination of Early Warning Messages and ensure the receipt at remote vulnerable villagers.
• Co-ordination of donor assistance to strengthen capacity of technical agencies for early warning
• Working out strategy and policy in the given area of activity
• Initiating awareness on activities related to early warning among the various agencies and public
• Guiding District Disaster Management Units in coordinating and implementing warning dissemination related activities in the Province, district, Local Authority, Division, Grama Niladhari and community levels

Other Responsibilities

• Establish coordination with the local technical agencies responsible for forecasting different hazards,
• Establish a reliable communication system (telephones, radio communication etc.) from technical agencies to the Emergency operating centre(EOC) and to Provincial / District Control Rooms directly or through (EOC)). Ensure redundancy by having alternative communication systems in place in case of breakdowns in the main system.
• Have the system established with media and ensure dissemination of information through same.
• Create awareness among communities and all concerned including Police on the communication system in use for early warning and what immediate actions to be taken, especially on rapid onset disasters.

Multi Hazard Early Warning Tower Loacations