Hambantota District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

 

(1)   Ambalantota

(2)   Tangalle

(3)   Hambantota

(4)   Tissamaharama

 

Affected People

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost

(Rs. Mn)

Housing

2508 houses were damaged

852.6

Road

 298 Km of  roads  were damaged

456.0

Telecommunication

Telecommunication system was damaged.

750.0

Business Premises

369 businesses had been affected.

NA

Water supply

Existing water supply system was severely damaged.

398.0

Administration (Public Institutions)

65 Government offices were destroyed.

1000.0

Education

6 schools were damaged.

26.5

Health

Physical structures in relation to health services were damaged.

394.0

Fisheries

1404 fishing boats and gears were damaged.

545.0

Electricity

3837 units had been damaged.

99.0

Tourism

Attractive sites were damaged

750.0

Culture

16 Religious places were damaged.

NA

Agriculture land

212 acres of paddy fields were affected.

11.6

Total

5282.7

 

Actions Taken

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

 

Challenges ahead

 

Way Forward

-         Construction of 5249 houses at different locations for displaced families.

-         Provision of electricity to 5,249 houses in 38 new housing schemes.

-         Construction of 06 schools with required facilities

-         Construction of internal roads to cater to 38 housing schemes

-         Construction of 298 km. rural roads in length.

-         Construction of water supply facilities for 38 housing schemes

-         Construction of 02 weekly fairs

-         Rehabilitation of fisheries harbors at Tangalle , Kudawella , Hambantota and Kirinda

-         Rehabilitation of tourism industry

-         Improvement and rehabilitation of physical structures in relation to health services.

 

 

 

 

 

Post Tsunami Recovery Process

District Experience and Challenges Ahead

 

Hambantota District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

 

(1)  Ambalantota

(2)  Tangalle

(3)  Hambantota

(4)  Tissamaharama

 

Affected People

·        Number of affected families: 14,394

·        Total number of affected persons: 56,135

·        Total number of deaths: 2,739

·        Number of IDP welfare camps at initial stage: 38

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost

(Rs. Mn)

Housing

2508 houses were damaged

852.6

Road

 298 Km of  roads  were damaged

456.0

Telecommunication

Telecommunication system was damaged.

750.0

Business Premises

369 businesses had been affected.

NA

Water supply

Existing water supply system was severely damaged.

398.0

Administration (Public Institutions)

65 Government offices were destroyed.

1000.0

Education

6 schools were damaged.

26.5

Health

Physical structures in relation to health services were damaged.

394.0

Fisheries

1404 fishing boats and gears were damaged.

545.0

Electricity

3837 units had been damaged.

99.0

Tourism

Attractive sites were damaged

750.0

Culture

16 Religious places were damaged.

NA

Agriculture land

212 acres of paddy fields were affected.

11.6

Total

5282.7

 

Actions Taken

·        Establishment of District Disaster Management unit to provide all necessary relief assistance to the affected people.

·        The affected families were provided with temporary shelter in 38 camps.

·        Immediate food supply for displaced population.

·        1,124 temporary tents were provided for displaced families.

·        Provision of financial assistance and dry ration coupons to affected families.

·        Provision of adequate protection particularly for displaced children and women

·        Provision of furniture and household equipment to displaced families.

·        Weekly Tsunami Stamps worth Rs. 375 (per person) are being distributed among 56,098 people (14,394 families).

·        Rs. 2.98 million have been distributed among 11,262 affected families.

·        3,166 families were paid an allowance of Rs.2500.

·        Total requirement of 1,691 temporary shelters have already been built.

·        Out of planned 5,249 permanent houses, construction work of 87 houses have been completed.

·        1,495 acres of land have been acquired for the construction of houses.

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

·        Relocating the affected people outside 100 mtrs. buffer zone

·        Coordination of different donor agencies who involved in constructions of houses.

·        Lack of suitable lands for human settlements in the affected area.

 

Challenges ahead

·        Shift from the short term relief measures to medium term reconstruction activities.

·        Inadequate capacity of district and divisional administration to undertake reconstruction activities.

·        Preparation of comprehensive development plan for the affected areas.

·        Overcoming problems relating to trauma and social integration

·        Coordination of assistance given by different donor agencies

 

Way Forward

·        The Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Plan of Hambantota district proposes to implement the following activities

-         Construction of 5249 houses at different locations for displaced families.

-         Provision of electricity to 5,249 houses in 38 new housing schemes.

-         Construction of 06 schools with required facilities

-         Construction of internal roads to cater to 38 housing schemes

-         Construction of 298 km. rural roads in length.

-         Construction of water supply facilities for 38 housing schemes

-         Construction of 02 weekly fairs

-         Rehabilitation of fisheries harbors at Tangalle , Kudawella , Hambantota and Kirinda

-         Rehabilitation of tourism industry

-         Improvement and rehabilitation of physical structures in relation to health services.

 

 

 

EXPERIENCE AND CHALLENGES AHEAD

Hambantota District

 

 

Construction of temporary shelters

Total requirement of 1961 temporary shelters have already been built.  Remaining of 467 is to be completed before 15th of May 2005.

 

Construction of permanent houses

The plan has been drawn up to build 5249 houses at 38 places construction work of 87 houses have already been completed.  87 houses have been vested on homeless people it is expected to complete constriction of these houses before 31st of December 2005.  (Separate report is here with)

Acquisition of 1495.  I acres of land has already been completed.

 

Construction of school buildings

Two schools have been fully damaged while four schools partially damaged.  MOU has been signed to get all these constructed.  (See ann02)

 

Requirement of school equipment

Activities of Hambantota divisional secretariat have been restarted at the same places after making repairs.  It has been planed to construct a new secretariat building and shift district secretariat and its all allied offices and it take divisional secretariat to the proposed complex 150 acres have been reserved for the purpose.  Land can be given to other government offices as well. 

 

Provision of electricity

It is necessary to provide with electricity to 5249 houses in 38 new housing schemes.  Estimate has been made.  It is expected to incur an expenditure of Rs.99.41 million.

 

Internal roads

It is necessary to construct internal road at 38 housing schemes Gross estimate is Rs.464.87 million.

 

Rural roads

It is necessary to construct 298.2 Km of rural roads damaged due to Tsunami disaster (REAP has under taken the responsibility)

 

Access roads

It is required to construct access roads for housing schemes.

 

Water

It is necessary to provide water to 5249 houses in 38 housing schemes.  Water resources board has drawn up plans.

 

Markets

Two weekly fairs were damaged due to Tsunami disaster.  They have to be reconstructed.  REAP has planed to reconstruct them.

 

Health

Tsunami disaster has caused heavy damaged to health sectors.  It is necessary to construct rural health centers in Tsunami affected areas.  The Ministry of Health has drowned up a plan rebuild them.

 

Fishing sector

Fisheries harbours at Tangalle, Kudawella, Hambantota and Kirinda have been damaged by Tsunami.  Present information is appeared on page XX.  Necessary plan have been drawn up by the Fisheries.

 

Tourist industry

It is necessary to reconstruct big hotels as well as small scale restaurants.

 

Co-operatives

Heavy damaged caused to Hambantota multi purpose Co-operative society.  It is necessary to provide relief government.

 

Pradeshiya Sabaha

It is necessary to strength Pradeshiya Sabhas.  REAP has drowned up plans.  It is necessary to spread pradeshiya sabha activity to new housing schemes to be constructed.

 

Actions taken

·        Water, electricity, road, construction (basic expenditure)

·        Making payments for day today consumption

·        Administration and sanitary facilities of camps

·        Making payment of Rs. 200.00 allowance to 56098 individuals in 14394 families.

·        Distribution of  food ration. (Rs.175/- per person weekly)

·        Acquisition of 1495 acres of land

·        Clearing of 1491 acres of land

·        Surveying of 1495  acres of land (private surveyors)

·        Provision of grants  to construct houses.

·        Construction of access roads to 

·        Construction of access roads

·        Provision of electricity

·        Provision of water

 

Matters for which the attention of the government should be drawn

 

·        The government has to spend for the provision of foods and Rs.375 tsunami stamps.  These relief recipients are comprised of direct affected people and indirect affected people.  It is possible to achieve the considerable progress by cessation of tsunami stamps after strengthening affected peoples economically by providing them with fishing boats, fishing gears, loan for starting business.

·        It is necessary to cut tsunami stamps immediately after providing houses,

·        It is necessary to stop stamps after conducting servers if there illegal stamps recipients.

 

 

 

Experience

·        About 600 houses were collapsed of once and 2000 people died.  Also deaths reports from Tangalle. Ambalantota and Kirinda areas.

·        Hospitals over flew from dead bodies amounted to 3084.

·        As it was a holding there was no any prior warning or prior preparation.

·        Telephone facilities and electricity supply came to a stand still with in a short time.

·        Communication system came to a hall completely.  Power supply and telecommunication had to be interrupted for one week and two weeks respectively.

·        About 500 dead bodies received to Hambantota hospital with in a short period of time.

·        It was necessary to release dead bodies of Muslim people because they had to bury them with 24 hours according to their religious rights.

·        Inquirer into deaths was away from the area.  It was necessary to hold inquires into deaths with in short time.

·        Facing non availability of Coffers.

·        Hospital Premises was full of people who come to identity dead bodies and visit patients.

·        As roomers were spreading about another Tsunami situation people were frightened.

·        It was necessary to provide temporary shelter facilities for both displaced and frightened people setting up of 38 camps.

·        It was necessary to private those camps with water.  Electricity, cooked food and sanitary facilities.

·        Officers attendance was very low due to their personal problems such as displacements and deaths of their relatives.

·        Hambantota divisional Secretariat, electricity board, co-operative society.  Telecom that are very essential offices were totally damaged.

·        Hambantota district Secretariat had to perform the activities vested on Hambantota divisional Secretariat.

·        It was impossible to have information from other areas such as Kirinda.  Tangalle, and Ambalantota due to destruction of Tele-communication systems.

·        In about two days roads in the area were full of vehicles and reported traffic congestion.

·        It was necessary to keep the office open both day and night as a result facing scarcity   of officers.

·        In about two days people began to come from remote areas with food items, water, cloths and other essential items both day and night.

·        Making arrangement to distribute relief assistance flooded in to out office.

·        Seeking store houses to store sample of food items.

·        When it was about two days, it began to come bad smell from dead bodies trapped under rubies of collapsed houses.

·        It was necessary to look for dead bodies trapped in rubbles and rubbish.

·        A large number of dead bodies had been deposited at the bottom of the Hambantota Karagam lagoon and saltern.  In addition to these dead bodies were found trapped in vehicles.

·        When it was about three days there were no claimants for dead bodies.

·         International NGOs during the period flooded into desired secretariat.  I had to have discussion with their representatives remaining in the office round the clock.

·        Requisition of daily reports from presidential secretariat.  Ministry of social services Prime ministers office, office of the essential services commissioner.  It was hard to receive soul information from divisional Secretariats.

·        Shops and hotels in Hambantota town had been closed making every transaction impossible.  Also caterings industry was at a standstill.

·        It was necessary to provide food and accommodation for military personal police, public officers, university students, doctors, who arrival in Hambantota area for relief assistance. 

·        Facing a severe storage of vehicles.

·        When it clasped about five or six days whole of the area was full of bad smell.

·        The post of the additional district secretary had been recanted.

·        A lot of trainee graduates arrival and assured duties.

·        As research activities were initiated by various see lions GM officers faced time problem in discharging their duties.

·        Going on retirement the Grama Niladari of Hambantota west where the highest damage reported on 17th January 2005.

·        Grama Niladaris of divisions where highest damage reported acting Grama Niladaris.

 

Facilities received and actions, taken to combat the situation

·        Arrival of Hon. Prime Minister and receiving information from him on 26th of December 2005 at 2.00 p.m.

·        Receiving the support of the police, army, public sector institutions, political leader ship and common mass.

·        Establishment of district disaster management centre and holding daily meetings and taking decisions.

·        Sectoral committees were setup.

·        Appointing of district secretary as competent authority and vesting power on him.

·        Receiving satellite telephone dish functioning.

·        Holding inquiries into deaths and issuing death certificates the next of lying of decreed people.

·        Depositing other unidentified bodies in mass graves after having the court order.

·        Recovering of dead bodies deposited of the bottom of Karagam lagoon and saltern with the help of Army, Air force and Navy.

·        Receiving the support of Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council from the chief minister to junior employee.

·        Commencement of activities of Hambantota divisional secretariat at Kachchari complex and appointing Sooriyawewa divisional secretary to the post of Hambantota divisional secretary.

·        Opening food stores at every divisional secretariat office and storing ample stocks.

·        Being able to complete 50% of the clearing activities of Hambantota, Tangalle and Kirinda areas.

·        Spraying in solicited and germicides to pervert, mosquito breeding and other diseases.

·        Making arrangements to drainage wells submerged by see water.

·        Making the administration of camps smooth and provision of other services receiving the corporation of NGOs.

·        Indicating the building of 50 temporary shelters through out the district with in two weeks.

·        Registration of all the NGOs that come to make relief assistance with the district secretariat.

·        Organizing of helping Hambantota by Hon. Prime Minister.

·        36 lands have been selected to construct houses.  House construction activities of 15 lands have been vested on families.  It is expected to complete the construction work of another group of 200 houses.

·        Monthly Tsunami stamps worth Rs.375 are being distributed among 56098 people in 14,394families.

·        Rs.2.98 million have been given to 11262 families.  A sum of Rs. 5.63 mn. is necessary for one round of payment.

·        Rs. 2500 payment has been given to 3166 families.  The sum of money part amounted to Rs.0.74 million.

·        Prevision of adequate protection especially for displaced children and women.

·        Prevision of furniture and houses hold equipments to displaced people.