Sri Lanka, April 11 -- Natural disasters have a direct impact on sustainable development and countries' debt rate; therefore a robust mechanism should be in place during a catastrophe to effectively mitigate the impact of natural perils and to continue with economic activities to maintain the production levels.

These sentiments were expressed by Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy at the Asia Pacific International Symposium held in Colombo yesterday under the theme 'Partnerships - A Catalyst in Saving Lives and Businesses'.

Speaking further, he said in developing countries, the continuity in economic development can be achieved by encouraging communities to engage more in disaster resilient businesses.

He said ...