Galle District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

(1)         Hikkaduwa

(2)         Galle Four Gravates

(3)         Habaraduwa

(4)         Ambalangoda

(5)         Balapitiya

(6)         Bentota

 

Affected People

  • Number of affected families: 26,728
  • Total number of affected persons: 135,942
  • Total number of deaths: 4,233
  • Number of persons who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 69,000
  • Number of families who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 9,160
  • Number of welfare camps at initial stage: 185
  • Existing welfare camps: 14
  • Existing number of persons in welfare camps: 1,477

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost (Rs.Mn.)

Road

04 concrete bridges , culverts and about 50 km. of roads

150

Telecommunication

05 out side plants, 01 transmission plants, 01 power plants, 01 switching plants.

295

Electricity

10, 000 consumer connections, bulk supply connections, 21 substations, tools and equipment, office premises and billing centre.

368

Fisheries

371 traditional crafts destroyed and 282 traditional crafts damaged, scenic beaches and fishing gears damaged.

1014

Health

02 hospitals

 

Education

25 schools

 

Other

Temples, Mosques, Churches and govt. offices etc.

 

Total

1,827

 

 

 

 

Actions Taken

  • Officials and other resources were mobilized systematically.
  • Dead bodies were taken to hospitals without delay
  • Arrangements were made to provide basic needs (food, dry rations, medicine, water, sanitary wares etc.) for the affected people.
  • Appeals were made for cooked foods, other foods, medicine, and clothing for the affected people through media.
  • Activities of various organizations involved in providing such needs were coordinated.
  • Provision of food and relief were continued.
  • Involvement of local and foreign armed forces, international and national NGOs in delivering basic services and providing amenities were coordinated efficiently.
  • Dry Ration Coupons were provided to 127,963 people.
  • Rs.2500 for each affected family was given to purchase kitchen utensils.
  • Rs. 5000 for each affected family was provided to continue their day to day activities. 26,680 families were benefited from this.
  • Rs.15, 000 for each dead person’s family member was granted to under take funerals.
  • Medical and sanitation facilities were provided to needy people.
  • MOUs were signed with 34 donors for construction of 1500 housing units.
  • Temporary shelters were provided to some homeless people.

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

  • No properly established contingency plan for rescue operations in a difficult and devastated situation. 
  • Since initial stage, there is no coordination among officers between district and divisional levels.
  • Absence of proper coordination among involving agencies.

 

Challenges Ahead

Relief Measures

·        Establishment of a mechanism to ensure flow of correct data in correct time.

·        Identification of major bodies responsible for rescue operations.

·        Preventive measures to stop looting and robberies during a disaster situation.

·        Identification and selection of alternative places for relief centers.

·        Evacuation of people/residents from disaster prone areas.

 

Relocation of People and Housing Construction

·        Understanding the socio-cultural differences of affected people and settling them accordingly.

·        Selection of lands suitable for the housing construction in close proximity

·        Meeting the increasing demand on raw materials and skilled manpower.

·        Provision of safe water for newly constructed housing schemes.

·        Finding stable solutions for the prevention of unauthorized constructions within the coastal buffer zone.

 

 

 

 

Livelihoods

·        Economically empowerment of people, who were affected and still no any opportunities to initiate their livelihood activities.

·        Relocation of Government Offices, hospitals, shops and other important structures in the disaster free locations.

 

Way Forward

  • Formation of suitable framework for the disaster management.
  • Preparation of district and divisional level disaster management plans.
  • Effective coordination of divisional level officials with the national level authorities.
  • Training of Government Officers in disaster management activities.
  • Strengthening of administrative bodies at different levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post Tsunami Recovery Process

District Experience and the Challenges Ahead

 

Galle District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

(1)        Hikkaduwa

(2)        Galle Four Gravates

(3)        Habaraduwa

(4)        Ambalangoda

(5)        Balapitiya

(6)        Bentota

 

Affected People

·        Number of affected families: 26,728

·        Total number of affected persons: 135,942

·        Total number of deaths: 4,233

·        Number of persons who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 69,000

·        Number of families who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 9,160

·        Number of welfare camps at initial stage: 185

·        Existing welfare camps: 14

·        Existing number of persons in welfare camps: 1,477

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost (Rs.Mn.)

Road

04 concrete bridges , culverts and about 50 km. of roads

150

Telecommunication

05 out side plants, 01 transmission plants, 01 power plants, 01 switching plants.

295

Electricity

10, 000 consumer connections, bulk supply connections, 21 substations, tools and equipment, office premises and billing centre.

368

Fisheries

371 traditional crafts destroyed and 282 traditional crafts damaged, scenic beaches and fishing gears damaged.

1014

Health

02 hospitals

 

Education

25 schools

 

Other

Temples, Mosques, Churches and govt. offices etc.

 

Total

1,827

 

 

 

 

Actions Taken

·        Officials and other resources were mobilized systematically.

·        Dead bodies were taken to hospitals without delay

·        Arrangements were made to provide basic needs (food, dry rations, medicine, water, sanitary wares etc.) for the affected people.

·        Appeals were made for cooked foods, other foods, medicine, and clothing for the affected people through media.

·        Activities of various organizations involved in providing such needs were coordinated.

·        Provision of food and relief were continued.

·        Involvement of local and foreign armed forces, international and national NGOs in delivering basic services and providing amenities were coordinated efficiently.

·        Dry Ration Coupons were provided to 127,963 people.

·        Rs.2500 for each affected family was given to purchase kitchen utensils.

·        Rs. 5000 for each affected family was provided to continue their day to day activities. 26,680 families were benefited from this.

·        Rs.15, 000 for each dead person’s family member was granted to under take funerals.

·        Medical and sanitation facilities were provided to needy people.

·        MOUs were signed with 34 donors for construction of 1500 housing units.

·        Temporary shelters were provided to some homeless people.

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

·        No properly established contingency plan for rescue operations in a difficult and devastated situation. 

·        Since initial stage, there is no coordination among officers between district and divisional levels.

·        Absence of proper coordination among involving agencies.

 

Challenges Ahead

Relief Measures

·        Establishment of a mechanism to ensure flow of correct data in correct time.

·        Identification of major bodies responsible for rescue operations.

·        Preventive measures to stop looting and robberies during a disaster situation.

·        Identification and selection of alternative places for relief centers.

·        Evacuation of people/residents from disaster prone areas.

 

Relocation of People and Housing Construction

·        Understanding the socio-cultural differences of affected people and settling them accordingly.

·        Selection of lands suitable for the housing construction in close proximity

·        Meeting the increasing demand on raw materials and skilled manpower.

·        Provision of safe water for newly constructed housing schemes.

·        Finding stable solutions for the prevention of unauthorized constructions within the coastal buffer zone.

 

 

 

 

Livelihoods

·        Economically empowerment of people, who were affected and still no any opportunities to initiate their livelihood activities.

·        Relocation of Government Offices, hospitals, shops and other important structures in the disaster free locations.

 

Way Forward

·        Formation of suitable framework for the disaster management.

·        Preparation of district and divisional level disaster management plans.

·        Effective coordination of divisional level officials with the national level authorities.

·        Training of Government Officers in disaster management activities.

·        Strengthening of administrative bodies at different levels.

 


 


 

 

EXPERIENCE AND CHALLENGES AHEAD

Galle  District

 

 

Executive Summary

On 26th December 2004 Sri Lanka had faced to the most vulnerable disaster called Tsunami and never heard even in the past for a disaster like that.

 

About 40000 of people who dies and other 5000 of people who were disappeared or no any information regarding them by this moment. Still no any clear information about the damage assessment about the about the properties and livelihood activities.

 

How this devastation affects to the Galle District?

Galle district is bounded by a coastal belt, which is about 72 Km and the coastal zone embodies significant variations like bays, groins, lagoons, estuaries, etc. These uneven coastal variations and the nature of low elevation made a hazardous effect to the mankind and their properties. Galle was the 2nd worst affected district due to the Tsunami in Sri Lanka.

 

Worst affected divisions

1.     Hikkaduwa

2.     Galle Four Gravates

3.     Habaraduwa

4.     Ambalangoda

5.     Balapitiya

6.     Bentota

 

This report describes the nature of the damage taken places to the most affected sectors. A significant amount of the total damage was being recovered by most institutions means of local and foreign supportive agencies. But this is not match with the existing demand for the immediate recovery measures. At this moment we are planning to use various strategic events to accelerate this recovery process, according to the consents of the affected people.

 

Damage caused

 

Total Affected Families

26728

Total Affected Persons

135942

Total Deaths (Including Transit Passengers)

4233

Number of People who were in Sahana Centres (IDP Camps) at the initial stage

 

69000

Number of families who were in refugee camps at the initial stage

 

9160

Number of IDP camps at the initial stage

185

Existing camps (Sahana Centres)