Matara District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

(1)         Matara

(2)         Weligama

(3)         Devinuwara

(4)         Dikwella

 

Affected People

 

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

 Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost (Rs.Mn.)

Road

Roads belong to RDA and Provincial Council, Matara Municipal Council, Devinuwara Pradeshiya Sabha  damaged.

94

Telecommunication

Telecommunication building and boundary wall, office equipment, office furniture, vehicles and outside lines damaged.

170

Electricity

High Tension Lines, Low Tension Lines, Buildings of Service Centre, Vehicles, Single phase matters and other equipment damaged.

62

Housing

2223 houses were fully damaged, 6675 houses were partly damaged.

1163

Fisheries

 Fishing Crafts (Multi day boats, One day boats, FRP Boats, Local boats, Traditional boats) and Fisheries Habour damaged.

439

Agriculture

242 acres of  paddy, 15 acres of vegetable and fruit lands and Thalalla Agrarian Services Centre damaged.

16

Water Supply

Water Meters, House Connections, Pipelines, and Pumps and equipment damaged.

 

55

Banking

Office equipment, Furniture, Stationeries and Properties of Ruhuna Development Bank, NSB, People’s Bank at Matara damaged.

114

Health

RDHS office building, vehicle, furniture and office equipment damaged.

11

Education

School Buildings, Furniture, Sanitary Facilities, Electricity, Water etc. damaged.

65

Other

Local Authorities, Co-operative Societies and other Government Institutions

304

Total

2,493

 

Actions Taken

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

 

Challenges Ahead

·        Establishment of a proper mechanism on disaster management at national, district and divisional levels.

 

Actions to be Taken

·        Identifying and acquisition of suitable lands for the construction of houses.

·        Paying compensation for partly and fully damaged houses.

·        Identifying lands for setting up schools and other government institutions to be relocated.

 

 

 

 

Way Forward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post Tsunami Recovery Process

District Experience and the Challenges Ahead

 

Matara District

 

 

Affected Divisional Secretary Divisions

(1)        Matara

(2)        Weligama

(3)        Devinuwara

(4)        Dikwella

 

Affected People

·        Number of affected families: 19,744

·        Total number of deaths: 1,221

·        Total number of persons displaced: 9,508

·        Number of persons who were in welfare camps at the initial stage: 23,480

·        Number of welfare camps at initial stage: 69

·        Existing welfare camps: 22

·        Existing number of persons in welfare camps: 3,102

 

 

Damages to Different Sectors

 

Sector

 Nature of the Damage

Estimated Cost (Rs.Mn.)

Road

Roads belong to RDA and Provincial Council, Matara Municipal Council, Devinuwara Pradeshiya Sabha  damaged.

94

Telecommunication

Telecommunication building and boundary wall, office equipment, office furniture, vehicles and outside lines damaged.

170

Electricity

High Tension Lines, Low Tension Lines, Buildings of Service Centre, Vehicles, Single phase matters and other equipment damaged.

62

Housing

2223 houses were fully damaged, 6675 houses were partly damaged.

1163

Fisheries

 Fishing Crafts (Multi day boats, One day boats, FRP Boats, Local boats, Traditional boats) and Fisheries Habour damaged.

439

Agriculture

242 acres of  paddy, 15 acres of vegetable and fruit lands and Thalalla Agrarian Services Centre damaged.

16

Water Supply

Water Meters, House Connections, Pipelines, and Pumps and equipment damaged.

 

55

Banking

Office equipment, Furniture, Stationeries and Properties of Ruhuna Development Bank, NSB, People’s Bank at Matara damaged.

114

Health

RDHS office building, vehicle, furniture and office equipment damaged.

11

Education

School Buildings, Furniture, Sanitary Facilities, Electricity, Water etc. damaged.

65

Other

Local Authorities, Co-operative Societies and other Government Institutions

304

Total

2,493

 

Actions Taken

·        Cooked food and dry rations were distributed

·        First-Aid and health facilities were restored.

·        Water and sanitation, electricity and other facilities were provided.

·        Progress review meetings were held daily.

·        Cooperation of Political Authorities, Government Organizations, NGO’s and general public were obtained in the restoration of services.

·        Estimates on damages were prepared and temporary houses for displaced people provided.

·        Students and teachers of damaged schools were affiliated to other schools nearby.

·        2,670 transitional houses were provided.

·        Construction of 722 houses were completed.

·        Construction of 133 houses are in progress.

 

Confronted Problems and Issues

·        Lack of funds for fulfilling the necessities.

·        Poor   knowledge and experience of the staff in handling disaster management.

·        Scarcity of public lands nearby the affected areas.

·        Scarcity of skilled labour.

·        Difficulty in finding suitable buildings for resettling displaced persons.

 

Challenges Ahead

·        Establishment of a proper mechanism on disaster management at national, district and divisional levels.

 

Actions to be Taken

·        Identifying and acquisition of suitable lands for the construction of houses.

·        Paying compensation for partly and fully damaged houses.

·        Identifying lands for setting up schools and other government institutions to be relocated.

 

 

 

 

Way Forward

·        Setting up of an early warning system.

·        Seeking local and foreign training opportunities for relevant officials on disaster management and maintaining a database.

·        Maintaining a monitoring programme on NGO/INGO at national level.

·        Setting up a proper and effective mechanism on decision making process from national level to divisional level.

·        Making officials aware of the importance of collecting relevant data in such disastrous situations in advance.

 



 

 

 

EXPERIENCE AND CHALLENGES AHEAD

Matara District

 

 

Introduction

Tsunami disaster on 26th December 2004 has caused a vast damage to the coastal belt in Matara district when compared with coastal lines of other areas in the Island. Table No. 1 shows such damages caused to 4 Divisional Secretariat divisions in Matara district.

 

Tsunami damages

 

Divisional Secretariat

No of Families Affected

No of Persons Displaced

No of Deaths

No of Injured

No of Missing

In Camps

With Relatives

Total

Matara

5493

1269

1254

2523

430

2850

102

Weligama

6589

1314

1818

3132

469

1850

28

Devinuwara

3984

233

827

1060

57

752

06

Dickwella

3678

286

2507

2793

185

1200

21

Other

 

 

 

 

80

 

443

Total