December 21, Colombo (LNW): More than a thousand places of religious and archaeological significance across Sri Lanka have sustained damage as a result of the recent disaster, the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs has revealed.
Deputy Minister Muneer Mulafer said assessments carried out so far indicate that 1,054 temples, shrines and heritage locations have been impacted, with 33 of them suffering complete destruction. He noted that the damage spans several regions, highlighting the scale of the impact on the country’s cultural landscape.
According to the Ministry, restoration and rehabilitation efforts have already begun, with priority being given to sites that have been most severely affected. Technical teams are currently evaluating structural damage to determine the scope of work required to return these locations as closely as possible to their original state.
Officials added that coordinated measures are being put in place to document losses, mobilise resources and safeguard what remains of the affected sites. The Ministry emphasised that protecting religious and cultural heritage remains a key focus of the recovery process, alongside broader relief and rebuilding efforts underway nationwide.
