Galle District
Affected
Divisional Secretary Divisions
(1)
Hikkaduwa
(2)
(3)
Habaraduwa
(4)
Ambalangoda
(5)
Balapitiya
(6)
Bentota
Affected People
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 |
|
|
|
Total |
1,827 |
|
Actions Taken
Confronted
Problems and Issues
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
Post Tsunami Recovery Process
District Experience and the Challenges Ahead
Galle District
Affected Divisional Secretary
Divisions
(1)
Hikkaduwa
(2)
(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) |
14 |
|
Existing Number of persons in
IDP Camps |
1471 |
Damage on road sector
Road
Development Authority (RDA)
According
to the RDA four concrete bridges were completely damaged (Akurala, Sinigama.
Magalle, Ahangama) to the Colombo – Matara main road. Damage assessment is
about Rs. 121.10 million.
Provincial
Road Development Authority (PRDA)
Damage
were taken place to the bridges, culverts and about 50 Km of roads. Damage
assessment is about 29.20 million.
Damage to Telecommunication
·
Outside Plants -
05 Nos.
·
Transmission Plants -
01 Nos.
·
Power Plants -
01 Nos.
·
Switching Plants -
01 Nos.
Damage assessment - Rs. 294 mn.
Damage to electricity supply
·
Consumer connections about 10,000
·
Bulk supply connections
·
Substations 21 Nos.
·
Tools and equipments
·
Office premises and billing centers (Galle Deputy
General Manager’s Office)
Total damage assessment – Rs.
268.53 mn.
Damage to other infrastructure
|
·
Temples, Mosques, Churches, etc |
51 Nos. |
|
·
Hospitals |
02 . |
|
·
Government Schools |
25 |
|
·
Galle Kachcheri, Hikkaduwa and Habaraduwa
Divisional Secretariat Buildings |
NA |
|
·
Damage Assessment to the Navy Camp (including
the buildings, machinery, vehicles etc) |
Rs. 192
mn. |
|
·
Most of Government and Private sector
regional offices and trade centers were damaged severely |
NA |
Damage to the fisheries sector
|
|
Destroyed |
Damaged |
Value(Rs.Mn) |
|
Multiday boats |
66 |
106 |
542 |
|
3 1/2ton Boats |
66 |
15 |
180 |
|
17’13boats |
199 |
148 |
143 |
|
Traditional crafts |
371 |
282 |
71.77 |
|
Beach scenic/fishing gears |
75 |
2 |
76 |
|
Total |
777 |
553 |
1013.67 |
Source:
Fisheries sector-TAFREN
Experience
26th December 2004
·
At 9.25 a.m. 1st Tide waves were entered
towards the upland and after about 20minutes later, 2nd Tide waves
attacked severely and the coastal part of the Galle town area inundated for
about 20 feet.
·
The situation worsened by 10.30 a.m., most of the
coastal area was severely affected and nature of the vulnerability was reported
by armed forces specially the naval authorities and civil agencies including
the Police to the national level.
·
Armed Forces, Police and other officials including
provincial councils coordinated with the District Secretary. They wee mobilizing
staff and other resources such as Divers, Ambulances, Trucks, for rescue
operations.
·
Injured people, Death Bodies were taken to the
Karapitiya Treaching Hospital and near by hospitals in respective areas.
·
Two main bridges at Magalle and Akurala (Hikkaduwa)
of Colombo- Matara main road were being destroyed completely and thereby land
locked caused the accessibility and impeded the rescue operations.
·
In the evening of the day the whole area covering
coastal belt of 72 km were with full of debris including human and other dead
bodies.
·
6 p.m. gathered Cabinet Ministers, Chief Minister
and all key officials, Police and armed forced head to the Governor’s
Secretariat and decided to start an operation room.
·
Decided to meet every day at 7 p.m. at the new District
Secretariat after clearing the place.
27th December 2004
·
An operation room was established in the Gall
District Secretariat.
·
District level political leaders, Governor and
Senior Government officials and armed forces including police gathered at the
new District secretariat and discussed about the provision of immediate needs
to the affected people and arrangement of relief measures like foods, dry
rations, medicines, water, sanitary wares etc.
·
Managed to get electricity to part of the district
secretariat building in the evening.
28th December 2004
·
Indian Army and other foreign supporting armies
reported to the District.
·
Collection and distribution of food and other
essential items commenced at the Kachcheri with the available staff.
·
Converted Town Hall building to a store.
·
Appeals for cook foods, other foods, medicines, and
clothing for the affected were broadcast by means of media.
·
HE the President appointed the district Secretary as
the competent authority and Hon. Minister Mr. Piyasena Gamage as the Chairman
of the District Management Committee. He chaired the committee comprising of
armed forces and the competent authority. Several senior ministers, Governor
and others assisted the committee.
·
Various organizations including private sector and
volunteer organizations were involving to provide cooked foods, medicines,
cloths, milk foods for the people who were living in Temporary Shelters/Camps
such as temples, Mosques, Schools and other public buildings.
·
A series of meetings were held with respective
Cabinet Ministers who were sent by HE the President to the District to help in
numerous ways for the purpose of rehabilitation.
29th December
·
Continuation of food and relief supplying were been
carried out.
·
Most of local and foreign armed forces as well as
international and national NGOs they reached to the Galle and they were
dispersed to the each affected areas for the supplying of basic amenity
services like water supplying, well purification machines, garbage disposal,
sanitation etc.
Problems and issues confronted at
the operation
Early warning and evacuation
·
Sri Lankan people who had never any experiences, on
Tsunami, earth quake, like natural disaster, till this disaster was occurred.
Even meteorology department and other respective agencies they have no any
mechanism to receive information from outside. There should be an integrated
disaster information control system, and should be able to aware people once
the relevant authorities got information about disasters like Tsunami.
Rescue operations.
·
Since there was no properly established contingency
plan, rescue operations were not in a satisfactory level. If there was a plan
like that it would be able to reduce the damage taken place to the lives of
human beings at a considerable law level.
Emergency planning
·
The incident was so most vulnerable that it was
difficult to plan immediately, even for essential things. Because every
communications linkages were out of order and electricity supplying was also
ceased. No accessibility through coastal highway or railway.
Relief supply
·
At the initial stage, the local residents,
neighbours and most of philanthropists were active enough to help the affected
people for providing relief, cooked foods and dry rations, for affected people.
·
The coordination among district level officers with
the divisional level was not possible at the initial stage owing to lack of
proper arrangements, but later on the coordination activities among the
district and divisional level became possible.
Coordination issues
·
There was no proper coordination between each level
at the initial phase. (Village level, divisional level, district level,
national level) and there was no any quick and accurate mechanism to convey the
informations for both directions (Top to bottom).
·
Though NGOs and other various organizations involved
to assist the people and distribute relief assistance it was not possible to
lend the necessary assistance properly and meaningfully, owing to lack of
information of affected areas and affected people.
Sector-wise coordination
·
Due to the lack of proper coordination among
involving agencies, most of contradictory information were being sent to the
national level. This would be tends to make some negative impacts on decision
making for treating people and rehabilitation activities.
Provision of dry rations
·
In the Galle district 127,963 numbers of people are
eligible to obtain dry ration coupons. Those coupons are being delivered by
respective authorities to affected people.
·
A dry ration package of Rs. 175 amounted per person
per each week and a balance of other Rs. 200 was also being provided weekly for
each ration coupon. Latest provision of essential food distribution is as
follows.
Allowance for kitchen utensils
·
A Rs. 2500 valued allowance was supplied for each affected
families for the purchasing of kitchen utensils and 20939 numbers of people who
were eligible for that allowance.
The allowance of Rs. 5000
The objective of provision of
this allowance is to initiating of affected people’s day today activities. This
allowance was being provided to 26680 numbers of families who were affected in
the Galle District Area on monthly basis.
Allowance of Rs. 15,000
·
Rs. 15000 each for death person’s family members
were paid for funeral arrangements.
Providing of medical facilities
·
Broken out of vector borne diseases had not been
occurred after the Tsunami and proper supplying of medical facilities,
maintaining of public hygienic conditions and provision of purified water for
the affected people like activities might be caused to protect people from the
post Tsunami affections.
·
These are district level committees for the
sanitation and water supplying and other sectors that is chaired by the
Government Agent.
·
These Committees meet in every week and discuss
about the monitoring and the progress reviewing on sanitation, etc. Most of
NGOs who are involving to this, in addition to the Government involvements.
Housing
Provision of housing to the
affected people is a very important matter and there should be a sustainable
programme for that after the considering of –
·
Social Economical, Cultural conditions of the
affected peoples.
·
Land availability and suitability.
·
Livelihood conditions of people.
At the national level, Task Force
for Rehabilitation of the Nation (TAFREN) and Urban Development Authority (UDA)
will provide the suitable lands and the registration of donors who are willing
to provide shelters for homeless people and at the district level the
Government Agent who coordinated all the activities related to the housing constructions
with the TAFREN and UDA as well as District and Divisional level officers.
At the Galle district context the
selection and acquiring of lands for housing constructions was completed and
MOU’s are signed by 34 numbers of donors for the construction of 1500 number of
housing units for the Galle District (Annexure 01 provide detailed information)
Transitional Shelters
It is impossible that the
provision of shelters on permanent basis at once, because of the finding of
suitable lands, clearing of lands, availability of required raw materials and
selection of people for each land will take a considerable time.
The Government has launched a
programmed for the provision of shelters on transitional basis and number of
NGOs and INGOs who are involving with this.
Provision of temporary shelters
for homeless people (Annex 02 provides detailed information).
Challenges ahead
Relief measures
·
Identification of mechanisms for the flow of correct
data at correct time.
·
Identification of major bodies required for rescue
operations strengthen of related agencies with skillful manpower and required
equipment for a proper disaster management.
·
Preventive measures for the 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 of socio-cultural differences of
affected people and treating them by considering of those differences.
·
Selection of lands according to the requirement of
the housing construction. (availability of bare lands, suitability of lands for
housing construction, etc.)
·
Accomplishment of the increasing demand of raw
materials required for the construction of houses (sand, cement, bricks, etc).
·
Finding appropriate and feasible solutions with
sustainability, as preventive measures for the post Tsunami environmental
degradation.
·
Provision of water for newly constructed housing
schemes.
·
Finding stable solutions for the prevention of
unauthorized constructions within the Buffer Zone.
Livelihood activities
·
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 from affected areas.
Suggestions
·
Formation of a District Level Disaster Management
Committee by focusing of the objective of mitigatory measured is crucial and
this committee has to be continuation their activities on the disaster prone
areas.
The Committee has to discuss on
·
The formation of proper framework for the disaster
management (natural or manmade disasters)
·
Preparation of a district and divisional level
disaster management plan, by considering of the nature of the disaster is
essential. The planning process may vary with the nature of the disaster (Ex.
Floor, Tsunami, Earth Quakes)
·
Provision of a proper coordination among each
district level officials of the relevant authorities and keeping the
coordination with the national level authorities.
·
Provide training to the Government officers for the
preparation of a disaster management preparedness programme and implementation
of the programme.
·
Strengthen of each level administrative body for the
provision of an effective service to the affected general public is crucial.
·
Realigning of development initiatives and provision
of required infrastructure facilities for livelihood activities on the basis of
provincial level is vital.