Kalutara District

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

(1) Kalutara

(2) Panadura

(3) Beruwala

Affected People

• Total number of affected persons: 11,000
• Total number of deaths: 25
• Number of persons who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 25,627
• Number of families who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 677
• Number of welfare camps at initial stage: 85
• Existing welfare camps: 9
• Existing number of persons in welfare camps: 2,693

Damages to Different Sectors

Sector	Nature of the Damage	Estimated Cost (Rs.Mn.)
Road	Roads culverts & bridges damaged.	299.6
Fisheries	423, multi day boats & traditional fishing crafts etc. damaged.	125.0
Housing	2500 houses damaged. (including 797 houses of fishermen)	1,725.0
Tourism	6 hotels partly damaged, 50 large scale businesses and 472 small scale businesses damaged	167.0
Water Supply	Pump house and pumps, main pipe lines, pipe net work, service connections damaged	43.0
Irrigation	Irrigation facilities damaged	3.4
Health	1 hospital partly damaged	0.7
Education	8 schools damaged	9.1
Administration	36 public buildings damaged (Railway station, Rural Bank, NWSDB, District Secretariat Bungalow etc.)	437.0
Total		2,809.8

Actions Taken

• Affected people were moved to identified safe places immediately.
• Basic needs were provided to the families in camps with the cooperation of Government agencies, Provincial Councils, NGOs, Commercial Establishments, and religious organizations.
• The victims were rescued and evacuated, and relief measures were undertaken immediately with the assistance of Army, UN etc.
• The activities relating to housing programmes and acquisition of land were co-ordinated.
• Medical and sanitation facilities were provided to needy people.
• Wood and other debris were disposed immediately.
• Trauma counseling programmes were held at camps.

• Temporary shelters were provided for 25 displaced families.
• Relief ration cards were provided to all affected families.
• Rs. 5,000/- per each family was provided to continue day to day activities (Livelihood allowance)
• MOUs were signed with Government, Private sector & NGO’s to construct 2,488 houses.
• 27 blocks were identified to relocate 4181 houses.

Challenges Ahead

• Poor response by the agencies engaged in housing reconstruction programmes.
• Inadequacy of financial and equipment other support to trauma counseling programmes.
• Some agencies are reluctant to work through the District Secretary.
• Donor agencies pay less attention to Kalutara District though still there are some gaps to be filled.

Way Forward

• Make the public aware on possible disastrous events and conduct capacity building programme at district, divisional and village levels.
• Strengthen the offices at district, divisional and GN level by providing necessary equipment (computers, printers, fax machines, maps. telephone lines) and, resource personnel.

• Strengthen the on going disaster management programmes.

Post Tsunami Recovery Process

District Experience and the Challenges Ahead

Kalutara District

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

(1) Kalutara

(2) Panadura

(3) Beruwala

Affected People

· Total number of affected persons: 11,000

· Total number of deaths: 25

· Number of persons who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 25,627

· Number of families who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 677

· Number of welfare camps at initial stage: 85

· Existing welfare camps: 9

· Existing number of persons in welfare camps: 2,693

Damages to Different Sectors

Sector	Nature of the Damage	Estimated Cost (Rs.Mn.)
Road	Roads culverts & bridges damaged.	299.6
Fisheries	423, multi day boats & traditional fishing crafts etc. damaged.	125.0
Housing	2500 houses damaged. (including 797 houses of fishermen)	1,725.0
Tourism	6 hotels partly damaged, 50 large scale businesses and 472 small scale businesses damaged	167.0
Water Supply	Pump house and pumps, main pipe lines, pipe net work, service connections damaged	43.0
Irrigation	Irrigation facilities damaged	3.4
Health	1 hospital partly damaged	0.7
Education	8 schools damaged	9.1
Administration	36 public buildings damaged (Railway station, Rural Bank, NWSDB, District Secretariat Bungalow etc.)	437.0
Total		2,809.8

Actions Taken

· Affected people were moved to identified safe places immediately.

· Basic needs were provided to the families in camps with the cooperation of Government agencies, Provincial Councils, NGOs, Commercial Establishments, and religious organizations.

· The victims were rescued and evacuated, and relief measures were undertaken immediately with the assistance of Army, UN etc.

· The activities relating to housing programmes and acquisition of land were co-ordinated.

· Medical and sanitation facilities were provided to needy people.

· Wood and other debris were disposed immediately.

· Trauma counseling programmes were held at camps.

· Temporary shelters were provided for 25 displaced families.

· Relief ration cards were provided to all affected families.

· Rs. 5,000/- per each family was provided to continue day to day activities (Livelihood allowance)

· MOUs were signed with Government, Private sector & NGO’s to construct 2,488 houses.

· 27 blocks were identified to relocate 4181 houses.

Challenges Ahead

· Poor response by the agencies engaged in housing reconstruction programmes.

· Inadequacy of financial and equipment other support to trauma counseling programmes.

· Some agencies are reluctant to work through the District Secretary.

· Donor agencies pay less attention to Kalutara District though still there are some gaps to be filled.

Way Forward

· Make the public aware on possible disastrous events and conduct capacity building programme at district, divisional and village levels.

· Strengthen the offices at district, divisional and GN level by providing necessary equipment (computers, printers, fax machines, maps. telephone lines) and, resource personnel.

· Strengthen the on going disaster management programmes.

Experience and Challenges Ahead

Kalutara District

Availability of land for construction of dwelling

The Divisional Secretaries has already identified lands for resettlement, but there are some dissents among the locals who may prefer to return to their original locations near the sea. The government has to purchase or acquire them as soon as possible to expedite the construction. The construction and other activities should be carried out with proper coordination and according to government policy. Work Order can only be issued after government approval. Looking into the community storage facilities to store nets and other accessories for the fishermen, government would provide necessary facilities.

Regarding the fishermen’s concern regarding storage facilities for fishing tackle, the Government will construct common storage space at the beach.

Permanent housing reconstruction

According to the survey 1589 houses in Kalutara Divisional Secretariat, 1321 houses in Panadura Divisional Secretariat, and 1271 houses in Bandaragama Divisional Secretariat completely distorted. All these houses located at within 100 M. areas. Therefore fist week of January we have identified 27 blocks of land to relocate 4181 houses. Need of Kalutara district. At present we wear able to choose donor agencies to re-construction and government already signed Memorandum of understanding letters (M.O.U.) with them.

Challenges ahead

Shelter

· The process should be expedited from the government side and the assurance from the organization and quality of the houses which is going to be built should be ensured.

· Resolve the land acquisition problems. This delays the construction process.

· Miscommunication between the District and Divisional administration with Colombo. eg. Some agencies who engage in permeate shelter had received the permission from Colombo but the District or the Divisional administration has not aware of the situation.

· Changing the way of construction (instead of flats to single houses) by the agencies who had signed the MOUs.

· Lack of response by the agencies who is engaged in housing reconstruction.

Health

· Temporary houses – Over population, smaller in size, too hot inside are common problems of some of the tents provided.

· Improvement of health promotion and health education.

· Re-construction of damaged health facilities in the district

· Transport facilities to enhance the frequent visits by the doctors to the affected people

· Longer term trauma counseling programmes

· Provide the financial and equipment support to proposed trauma counseling programmes (Eg. Empower the existing staff, Equip the Laboratory (NIHS) Provision of Field Testing Operators (specially to check the HG% at the field level. Equip the Micro biology lab to check the food stuff which is been providing by various actors)

Education

· Material support to affected school going children, teachers and other staff members. More school uniforms, shoes, socks, stationary, undergarments for the affected children.

· Some coloured uniforms as they go to tuition classes from where they recently settled (welfare centers, host families)

· Re-construction and repairs to the damaged school buildings

· Provision of furniture, equipments

Water and sanitation

· Provision of Drinking water and bathing facilities for the new locations (resettlement sites)

· Provision of latrines for the resettlement site at the soonest

· Health education among the affected population (specially fisheries population)

· Increase in the salinity level of the water. Though this has been a natural phenomenon this has been expedited by the reconstruction process which was resulted due to Tsunami (tragedy of common, over exploitation by those who have license)

Co-ordination and support services

· Some agencies not work through the GA therefore it is impossible to keep the updates and avoid duplications.

· When comparing to other districts due to the less damage some donor agencies are not pay attention into Kalutara District. But still some gaps are there and necessary actions to be taken to strengthen this.

Economic recovery and infrastructure

· Conduct a good information system to provide information regarding recent advancements, credit facilities, etc., to the affected unemployed population to avoid unrest among them.

· Implement income generation activities

· Restore the Tourism industry

· Provide livelihood supporting equipments for the affected population

· Re-construction of the damaged infrastructure

· Restore the totally damaged buildings in a safer locations

Disaster management

· It is essential to make aware the public about the disastrous events which will possible to occur and a capacity building Programme for District, Divisional and Village Level.

· Strengthen the District, Divisional and GN level setup by providing necessary equipments (computers, printers, fax machines, maps, telephone lines) and resource personnel.

· Strengthen the on going Disaster Management Programme (NDMC, Ministry of Social Welfare and Women’s Empowerment and UNDP).