The X-Press Pearl Disaster
On May 20, 2021, the Singapore-flagged container ship X-Press Pearl caught fire and sank off the coast of Negombo, leaving an environmental disaster in its wake.
This disaster seems to have damaged the local fishing industry and tourism for years to come.
Billions of plastic pellets are still washing up on the beach. Because of the environmental crisis, the government only pays a few women to clean up the beach. This is a far cry from professional disaster management.