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

19744

3102

6406

9508

1221

6652

600

 

There were 23480 persons in 69 camps up to 31.12.2004 by 07.04.05 that number reduced to 22 camps and 3102 persons.

 

Details on welfare camps

 

Divisional Secretariat Division

No. of Camps

No. of Families Displaced

No. of Persons Displaced

Matara

06

353

1269

Weligama

10

365

1214

Dickwella

03

81

286

Devinuwara

03

44

233

Total

22

846

3102

 

The following tables indicate the estimated value of the damage caused to Government organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summery of Estimates for Damages - Matara District

(As at 03rd of February 2005)

 

Sector

Estimated Cost Rs.

Sub Total

Total

Roads

 

 

a) R D A Roads

51,250,000.00

 

b) Provincial Council Roads

12,700,000.00

 

Total

 

63,950,000.00

Local Authorities

 

 

Municipal Council – Matara

24,100,000.00

 

Urban Council – Weligama

5,800,000.00

 

Pradheshiya Sabawa - Weligama

23,300,000.00

 

Pradheshiya Sabawa – Dickwella

20,300,000.00

 

Pradheshiya Sabawa – Devinuwara

6,000,000.00

 

Total

 

79,500,000.00

Electricity

62,004,000.00

62,004,000.00

Telecommunication

170,000,000.00

170,000,000.00

Agriculture

 

 

a) Agrarian Services

7,000,000.00

 

b) Agriculture Department

1,079,375.00

 

Total

 

8,079,375.00

Co-operative societies

29,950,000.00

29,950,000.00

Transport – Ruhuna Bus Company

6,937,000.00

6,937,000.00

Water Supply & Drainage Board

55,217,257.00

55,217,257.00

Health Services

11,840,000.00

11,840,000.00

Fisheries Industry & Aquatic

439,170,000.00

439,170,000.00

Education

65,513,500.00

65,513,500.00

Banks

 

 

a) Ruhunu Development Bank

97,491,600.00

 

b) National Savings Bank

3,254,067.00

 

c) Peoples’ Bank

3,851,500.00

 

d) Samurdhi Bank Societies

10,108,300.00

 

Total

114,705,467.00

114,705,467.00

Housing Damages

 

 

Fully Damages (Per Unit = 2362 X Rs.350, 000)

826,700,000.00

 

Partly Damages (Per Unit = 5659 X Rs.75, 000)

424,425,000.00

1,251,125,000.00

Other Government Institutions

217,651,665.00

217,651,665.00

Grand Total

 

2,570,243,264.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary of Estimates for Damages

Other Government Institutions

 

Institution

Estimated Cost Rs.

Post Office

15,560,000.00

Religious Places

63,024,900.00

Labour Office

1,294,805.00

Southern Province Irrigation Department

1,550,000.00

Urban Development Authority

23,000,000.00

Police Station

72,000,000.00

Vocational Training Authority

6,233,000.00

District Secretariat Matara

7,000,000.00

Divisional Secretariat Welligama

4,050,000.00

Divisional Secretariat Dickwella

2,211,460.00

Judicial Services

16,375,000.00

S.P. Ministry of Land & Land Development

4,802,500.00

Coconut Cultivation Board

4,802,500.00

 TOTAL

217,651,665.00

 

Activities

Quick relief service measures were taken for displaced people in these camps are as follows:

·        Supply of cooked food for the displaced.

·        Supply of first aid and health facilities

·        Supply of water and sanitation

·        Supply of electricity and other necessities

·        Holding daily progress review meetings.

 

The cooperation of political authority, Government Organisations as well as NGO and general public was received to make this work success.

 

Mid Term

In the aftermath of above mentioned quick measures following measures were taken for the displaced.

·        Preparation of estimates of damages in the district.

·        Supply of temporary houses for displaced people who reside in schools and resumption of such schools.

·        Affiliation of students and teachers of damaged schools into other suitable schools.

·        Implementation of transitional housing scheme.

 

Progress of the Transitional Housing Scheme

 

 

Matara

Weligama

Dickwella

Devinuwara

Total

No. of transitional houses needed

571

1243

771

185

2670

No. of houses completed

157

712

149

58

722

No. of houses in construction

65

 

20

48

133

 

 

Compensations for fully damaged and partially damaged houses

 

D.S. Division

100,000 Rs

250,000 Rs

Total Amount (Rs)

No

Amount

No

Amount Rs.(000)

Matara

426

42,600

96

2,400,000

2,442,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weligama

825

82,500

213

5,325,000

5,407,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devinuwara

50

5,000

34

850,000

855,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dickwella

133

13,300

32

800,00

813300

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

1434

143,400

375

9,375,000

9,518,400

 

Long Term

·        Measures of identifying and acquition of suitable lands for the construction of permanent houses.

·        Payment of compensation for partially and totally damaged houses.

·        Identifying lands for setting up Govt. buildings and schools which are to be relocated.

·        Initial measures necessary for the Matara modern city development plan.

 

Constraints

Financial

Non availability of needy funds in other Govt. organizations unfulfilling these necessities. We had to supply required provisions for all these activities such as fuel to Army forces.

 

Administration

Lack of understanding of certain organizations towards their duties and responsibilities in such disastrous situation.

 

Skilled Labour

Scarcity of skilled labour as most skilled labourers are displaced due to disaster.

 

Buildings

Difficulty in finding suitable buildings for the resumption of Govt. institutions damaged due to Tsunami as well as difficulty in finding suitable buildings in resettling the displaced.

 

How to overcome difficulties

·        Obtaining monitory assistance from NGOs

·        Preparation of proper mechanism in order to distribute financial and other resources to areas damaged due to disaster.

·        Obtaining skilled labour from other areas.

·        Leasing private lands

 

 

Recommendations

·        Proper management mechanism on disaster management at National, District and Divisional level has to be formed.

·        Setting up of a early system

·        Seek local and foreign training opportunities for relevant officials

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

·        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 situation.

·        Inculcating necessary technical knowledge in officials in order to maintain a data base update.