Colombo, Sri Lanka – 14 December 2025 — Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC (Lion) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening community partnerships through its flood response efforts and ongoing work to build long-term flood resilience and community support in Biyagama, home to the Company’s core operations.
During the recent floods along the Kelani River, Lion supported the Biyagama community throughout the emergency response and recovery period, maintaining outreach until the area gradually returned to normalcy. With flooding events becoming more frequent and severe, affecting surrounding communities and livelihoods, Lion remains committed to enhancing preparedness and strengthening long-term support for Biyagama.
Lion has long maintained close engagement with the local community around its brewery, and this response was a continuation of the strong collaboration between the Company and the area it serves. In late November, water levels in parts of Biyagama and nearby areas rose to nearly 10 feet (approximately 3 metres), trapping people in their homes and limiting access for responders.
Working closely with government officials, Lion supported evacuation efforts through its A-Pad trained rescue team and other volunteer teams, assisting by boat and delivering food, clean water, and essential supplies, particularly to locations that were difficult to reach due to access constraints.
After floodwaters receded, Lion staff worked with local authorities to restore safe access by clearing debris, mud, and hazards from affected areas. Teams also distributed additional dry ration packs, especially in areas where water and electricity had not yet been restored, helping families resume daily life sooner.
Looking ahead, Lion is in discussions with local authorities to establish a safe and accessible community stronghold facility, located on higher ground, reachable via alternate routes, and equipped to support the community during future flood events.
“We recognise that building climate resilience is essential, not only to protect our operations, but to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of our neighbours. Our teams were empowered to respond quickly and keep people safe while supporting communities to recover,” said Rajiv Meewakkala, Chief Executive Officer, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC.
“By investing in community infrastructure and knowledge sharing, we aim to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster management ecosystem for the future.”
