Sri Lanka, Sept. 23 -- Of late, one cannot help feeling that natural disasters are occurring around us with increasing frequency.

Almost every time we switch on the television or look at the news and social media, there seems to be another natural disaster somewhere in the world.

Sri Lanka has had its own share, with the most recent being the devastating effects of Ditwah and subsequent extreme weather. Nepal has experienced destructive floods and landslides, while the Philippines, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Venezuela and Colombia have all faced different natural calamities in recent times.

Floods, cyclones, landslides, droughts, wildfires and extreme heat seem to be occurring with regularity. Earthquakes have added to the d...