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    Country

    Map of Sri Lanka

    Asia · Colombo

    Sri Lanka lies on the Indian Plate. Its exposure to natural hazards is 3.9 out of 10 (INFORM index), a medium level. Its overall risk index, which accounts for its ability to cope, is 3.4 out of 10.

    Capital
    Colombo
    Population
    21,444,000
    Area
    65,610 km²
    Continent
    Asia

    Tectonic Plates

    Natural Hazards

    Exposure to natural hazards according to the European Commission's INFORM index, from 0 (very low) to 10 (very high), overall and for each type of hazard.

    3.9/ 10 · Medium · ranked 91 of 191 countries
    Earthquakes0.1
    River Floods1.9
    Tsunamis8.0
    Tropical Cyclones2.2
    Coastal Floods3.3
    Drought3.2

    Overall Risk Index

    3.4/ 10 · Low · ranked 100 of 191 countries

    This overall score combines hazard exposure with the vulnerability of the population (3.1 out of 10) and the lack of coping capacity (4.0 out of 10). A highly exposed but well-prepared country therefore gets a low overall score.

    People Exposed Each Year

    • 412to tsunamis
    • 31,366to hurricane-force winds (category 1 and above)
    • 3,260to river floods
    • 1,623to coastal floods

    Overall Risk Index Over Time

    0510 2017 : 4.32018 : 4.12019 : 3.92020 : 4.22021 : 4.12022 : 3.82023 : 3.82024 : 3.92025 : 3.92026 : 4.2 4.2 2017 2026

    Hazard Levels

    Hazard level assessed by ThinkHazard! (World Bank, GFDRR), meaning the likelihood of a damaging event, from very low to high.

    • River FloodHigh
    • Urban FloodHigh
    • CycloneHigh
    • WildfireHigh
    • Coastal FloodMedium
    • TsunamiMedium
    • Extreme HeatMedium
    • LandslideLow
    • Water ScarcityLow
    • EarthquakeVery Low

    Details and recommendations on ThinkHazard!

    Volcanoes

    No volcano active over the last 10,000 years is recorded in this country.

    Major Earthquakes Since 1900

    No major earthquake has been recorded in this country since 1900.

    Regions

    Regions with volcanoes, major earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones or famous faults.

    Tsunamis

    7 major tsunamis have reached Sri Lanka since 1900, killing 35,332 people in the country. The deadliest and highest are listed below.

    Tropical Cyclones

    3 major tropical cyclones have made landfall in Sri Lanka since 1950. The deadliest and most powerful are listed below.

    Sources : Natural Earth · Wikidata · INFORM Risk Index (1 September 2026 v 0.7.3), Commission européenne, CC BY 4.0 · NOAA NCEI · ThinkHazard!, GFDRR, CC BY · Bird (2003), PB2002 · Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institution