The Unknown Victims of Sri Lanka Floods 2011

This house is in the village of Magulpokuna, about 4km from Welikanda, in pollonaruwa district, by the border of Batticaloa. This is a typical mud house in a village. They are build from mud and wood. Some leave roofed. Some tin roofed. Usually they are built strong by following many thousands of years of  mud house building traditions.

The damage is the collapsing of part of the wall. The picture also show tiny stream of water flowing by the wall. The second image show how the errossion has occured due to the stream. We dont think that the errosion occured only by rain in January. It would have been their unknown to the dwellers of the house.
This is a dissater prone house in the lowland of the village. This dissaster although look small, if the structure collapsed when people are in the house, would have been a sad story. These kinds of dissaster can be avoided by making people aware of dissaster readyness to craete a dissaster ressilience villages, homes and people. If they knew that there is a potentail dissaster coming, they would have prepared. Now the climate is changing is sure, we need to develop dissaster readyness. In which education can be a great help.

However poor people lack time to look after their own houses and environment as they mostly live from days work at other peoples. Many do not own their own farmlands, but work in other peoples agriculture.As the village was not flooded, these kind of damages go unnoticed and the number of affected families are less than 5. However we need a system to asses small cases like this and help them with economic and livelihood re-building initiatives.

The main rain damages to this village is on agriculture. Their farms although looked green from distance, much of the seeds have fallen and washed with heavy rain, or become void (boll). Due to the rain that kept falling since end november, the plants were not able to become more bushy and to increase no of paddy seeds. It is unlikely for them to cultivate again in this season as the season is much gone. They were to obtain harvest by end feburuary to marh and prepare for the New Year in April before cultivating in next season. .

The Royal Thai Government donates US $100,000 to the Government of Sri Lanka

The Royal Thai Government donates US $100,000 to the Government of Sri Lanka to rehabilitate areas devastated during the recent floods
Source: Government of Sri Lanka

Date: 26 Jan 2011

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Kasit Piromya handed over a cheque of US $ 100,000 to the Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perera on 19th January 2011 on behalf of the Royal Thai Government as an initial contribution for the rehabilitation of areas devastated during the recent floods.

The Thai Foreign Minister made this donation during the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting held in the Republic of Union of Myanmar.

Accepting the donation, Deputy Minister Perera expressed the Government of Sri Lanka's deep appreciation to the Government of Thailand. He added that the Thai Government had always assisted Sri Lanka whenever the country encountered difficulties, especially following a natural disasters.

Ministry of External Affairs

Colombo

Livelihoods destroyed by Sri Lanka floods

Livelihoods destroyed by Sri Lanka floods
Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Date: 26 Jan 2011

IFRC appeals for greater funds to support communities to rebuild their livelihoods.

The International Federation of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) has revised its initial appeal after an in-depth evaluation of the reconstruction needs in Sri Lanka after devastating flash floods during the past weeks.

The IFRC is now appealing for 4.62 million Swiss francs (4.83 million US dollars or 3.55 million Euros) to provide continued emergency aid as well as longer-term recovery assistance to over 75,000 people over the next 12 months. The immediate focus will be on a second round of food distributions to over 784,000 people especially in Batticaloa and Ampara in the eastern part of Sri Lanka.

"The people of Sri Lanka have suffered a threefold disaster: 25 years of conflict, then the tsunami and now the floods. We need to do everything we can to support them" said Mr. Tadateru Konoé, IFRC President, who is currently in Sri Lanka to visit flood affected areas in the central, northern and eastern parts of the country.

"While responding to relief needs, we already have to prepare for a full recovery programme designed to better support the Sri Lanka Red Cross. In line with what has been done after the tsunami, and meet long-term needs of the people affected by the disaster," Said Mr. Konoé.

The revised appeal will focus on restoration of livelihoods, awareness raising initiatives to reduce the risk of waterborne and water related diseases; the provision of safe water; adequate sanitation and hygiene promotion for the affected families.

Bob McKerrow is the head of delegation for the IFRC in Sri Lanka; "I was on the ground last week to see the relief efforts. There I saw people who are in absolute desperate need. After assessing the situation we realize that the initial appeal would not cover all of what we need to do. This revised appeal will get us there."

Jagath Abeysinghe, President of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society has highlighted the importance of supporting the people affected by the floods. "We understand the plight of the people in these flood affected areas. That is why together, the Sri Lankan Red Cross and the IFRC are increasing our support to restore livelihoods as soon as possible."

Current figures show that at least 43 people have lost their lives and over a million people have been affected by floods and landslides in various parts of Sri Lanka. Currently, rebuilding efforts are being carried out by volunteers and members of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society with the support of the IFRC and partner National Societies across 24 districts of Sri Lanka.

Districts such as Ampara, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa, Monaragala, Nuwara-Eliya, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Kandy, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Monaragala, Ratnapura, Kilinochchi and Matale have been severely affected by the incessant rains of recent weeks, with other districts in the country also affected by intermittent heavy winds and rain.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

• Sri Lanka: o Surein Peiris – deputy director of operations, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Tel: +94 77 368 8647 | surein.peiris@redcross.lk o Mahieash Johnney – communications manager, IFRC Sri Lanka Tel: +94 77 350 2156 | mahieash.johnney@ifrc.org

• India: o Paula Alvarado – regional communications manager, IFRC South Asia Tel: +91 98 1864 4724 | paula.alvarado@ifrc.org

• Geneva, Switzerland o Paul Conneally – Head of Media and Public Relations Tel: +41(0)79.3089809 | paul.conneally@ifrc.org

The International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 186 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The International Federation, its 186 National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

We need help! Says women affected by 2011 Floods Sri Lanka

These poorest of the poor lived in low lands of the village, Thambala, Polonnaruwa. Says that they are faced with shortage of cloths after the Januart floods. They have a challange of restarting life. Even the TV, Radio including cattle, goat and poultry and agriculture.

They say that they helped when tsunami stuck south and east. Now its their need in the priority list. who would help them.

DEPUTY HUMANITARIAN CHIEF CONCLUDES VISIT TO SRI LANKA

DEPUTY HUMANITARIAN CHIEF CONCLUDES VISIT TO SRI LANKA

Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Date: 21 Jan 2011

(Colombo/New York, 21 January 2011): Following a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Catherine Bragg committed the UN to continuing its humanitarian work while needs exist.

"I came to Sri Lanka to assess the current humanitarian situation in the country and it's my observation that there are significant and immediate humanitarian needs resulting from the recent flooding in the east, as well as the ongoing needs in the former conflict areas of the north," said Ms. Bragg.

During her visit, Ms. Bragg met government ministers, local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors and UN agencies. She travelled to the north of the country, where she talked with people who have recently returned home since being released from Government-run camps set up at the end of the conflict in 2009.

"Most of the returnees currently have limited access to basic services such as shelter, water and sanitation and health care. These communities remain extremely vulnerable and have critical humanitarian needs that we must address immediately," said Ms. Bragg.

Ms. Bragg also visited the worst flood-affected areas in the east of the country and launched a flash appeal to raise US$ 51 million in emergency funds for the one million people who are now in need in the Eastern and Central Provinces. She also announced a US$ 6 million contribution from the Central Emergency Response Fund to jump start priority programs.

During her meetings with government ministers, Ms. Bragg reaffirmed the commitment of the UN and NGOs to remaining in Sri Lanka to help the Government, especially in rebuilding the Northern Province.

"We need to continue our humanitarian work and are committed to remaining here and providing humanitarian assistance to all those in need, wherever they are," said Ms. Bragg.

Ms. Bragg also highlighted the role of the humanitarian community, especially those aid organizations working in the north, and stressed that partnerships between UN agencies and local government structures must be strengthened as Sri Lanka moves beyond its years of conflict.

For further information, please call:

OCHA-Asia Pacific: Kirsten Mildren, mobile +66 819151276, mildren@un.org;

OCHA-New York: Stephanie Bunker, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 347 244 2106, bunker@un.org;

Nicholas Reader, +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org,

OCHA-Geneva: Elisabeth Byrs, +41 22 917 2653, mobile +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org

OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int

UN launches $ 51 million flash appeal for flood victims

Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Colombo, January 21, 2011

The United Nations on Friday launched an appeal to raise $51 million in emergency funds for the one million flood-affected people in central and eastern Sri Lanka. The deputy United Nations humanitarian chief, Catherine Bragg, has also called for greater efforts to assist former internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka who have returned to their villages and are facing daunting challenges trying to rebuild their lives.

“Significant progress has been made in meeting the needs of the displaced and promoting return processes,” Bragg said.

“However, those who have been released [from camps] now face a daily struggle to rebuild their lives, and have to start from scratch,” said Ms. Bragg, who is also the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator. “There is nothing left. They are going to need schools and teachers, hospitals and doctors, and basic social services,” she added

Bragg added that most of the returnees currently have limited access to basic services such as shelter, water, sanitation and health care. ``These communities remain extremely vulnerable and have critical humanitarian needs that we must address immediately,’’ she said.

Bragg travelled to Batticaloa in the flood-ravaged eastern province where she heard from local government and aid organizations about the extent of the damage, especially in the agricultural sector, which has lost an estimated 80 per cent of this season’s harvest in some areas.

She announced that a $6 million grant from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has been allocated to jumpstart key life-saving projects.

Sri Lanka Floods 2011 : House of a child - Gallella, Kaduruwela

5 Children and Parents Happily Live in this house before January 11th. After the rain water came. This house could not hold when water came. The whole family left to near by School. This is what left when they returned. Now they have to find new cloths, books

Can anyone help pirambadative ?

131 famlies, 600 children, 231 women and 180 men are in pirambaditive,40 widows included. Situated 8 km south of ottamadu, Valachchanai, Batticaloa district. This was a village we wrote you about. Today they said that they have a shortage of foods. The army had distributed buns and dhal (probably from their rations.) The food lories going on main road doesn't come to pirambadative says their community leader.

This village is isolated and worst hit from floods 2011 like tsunami, swollwing whole village for 5 days from January 11, 3 am.

This village is by lagoon and jungle area.
The floods rose to at least 10-12 feets making the village part of lagoon, which washed everything away, killing cattle, goats and chiken. They were an agricultural and fisher community. They lost their equipment, nets and kichen utencills. Most of them have oru udappu (only one dress), Ellam potchi (All went) they all say.

Immediately they have a need for rice.
Can anyone from anywhere help sharing their rice?

We think of children who might drop off from school, if they dont attend schools for 3 months. There are many food paid odd jobs for children or parents anyhow feed them. They wouldn't know the difference between going and not going to school. In the society we see it as a problem as they would become poorer and hunger, if they dont learn to think critical and collective, develop personal and socail skills to face the global challanges from climate change, health to economic crisis.

Rebuiding education needs to give the children new uniforms, shoes, books, pencils, text books. The education also need to extend to women, farmers, fisherman and senior learning to improve health, education, farming and lively hoods. ICT can definitely help. Already it is helping the recovery by communicating their problem to the world.

Can anyone help pirambadative ?
They need rice.

Story of Hakeema , Kaduruwela, Polonnaruwa

Hakeema lived a happy life in her small house with four other children and parents until thanny (Water) came. She even played in rain in the day time without knowing that it will destroy her home in the night. They ran to the village school for safety when water came in to the house. When they returned after two days, what was left was a broken house and her cloths and books were washed away in floods. They were poor before the rain and became poorer after the rain. She needs support to go back to school . She says that she needs Cloths and Books.

ICT in dissater response and recovery

Simple use of ICT , Social Media , Telecentres can help creating support networks that helps the disaster relief process. . ICT  brought a great capability in responding with infomation in Sri Lanka Floods 2011. When a disasters happen, people need information from top to bottom. The infomation needs comes from the policy, operational and ground relief actions.



Needs assesment, relief, recovery, resource allocation can't be done without adequate and corect information. Major policy decisions can be made on correct information recived from ground. Traditional media are more market driven and covers incidents that create suspence and thrillar. Hence there are many gaps left in dissaster communication. ICT and Social media can make a big difference in disaster rocovery and re-building as it comes from nuetral souces and community who are on ground close to the victims.

The first action is creating media to make awareness of the scale and impact of disaster. Providing large amounts of information on  gound condtions assesment can only be  done by visits and talking to the victims. Photos, videos, voice cuts are best information peices, including text. 3G and moibile connectivity help communicate through internet when all transpotation is distrupted. SMS and dual sim mobile phones are greatest tools. Making local contacts and connecting support directly can be done sharing information and enabling peer to peer communicartion. ICT can be used to initiate relief collecting processes, and telecentres could become nationa wide collecting centers.

A Simple example of ICT in dissater response and recovery is
http://childreninthefloods.blogspot.com/
which provides Field Reports from Sri Lanka Floods 2011

This web site using social media and web 2.0 connected many soicial workers and support organizations in Sri Lanka Floods 2011 can be good case of ICT in Disasaster Communication, yet we have to wait to learn how it progress and impact crearted in dissater recovery and re-building.

Broken Tanks and Farmers Lives

Today we traveled from Kalmunai to Ampara. We passed several camps in Kalmunai, but we could not visit them as we wanted get to Ampara. On the way we observed the Malwatta Tank. The strong mud bund had been broken leaving a gap about 70m. The people had tried to release the water making a side cannel, but the water pressure was hard on the bund and and it broke, destroying paddy fields fed from the tank.

The water then flew and has inundated the Malwatta village, making all villages flee for life. It’s a short story with a long term impact. The villagers have lost their harvest, belongings at home. Dresses, books and what ever water can wash away.

We saw some surviving paddy plants, but there is no tank to feed water to them. They will eventually die a farmer said. The farmers have lost there cultivation. There won't be a harvest in may to celebrate new year. It is not possible for them to harvest again until the tank is repaired. An agriculture expert we met said that 48% of harvest in the area could be lost. This would be a huge impact on rice economy that we all are in.

As the rain continued for last two months till it becomes stronger on 10th January. This long raining has hindered generation of paddy bushes, hence produced less seeds from a single plant. This rain affected not only this area, but many parts of the island making a Sri Lanka a wet region for few days; hence paddy in those areas also could be affected.

This is only one of the 172 Tanks broken due to heavy rain and excess water they could not hold on. We think that this an example of climatic change and how resulting rain can create food shortages.

As a nation we need to consider that it’s our duty to look after these farmers who has lost their harvest as they have been feeding us for decades. Now they need food. A farmer said that all his reserves of rice for domestic use have been washed away. It is the farmers need rice now. Their families and children are in stress without food which did not happen before. These farmers donated truck loads of rice when tsunami was stuck. How ever we don’t see any support yet arriving from south. As a nation we can’t leave everything to government or be ignorant and think someone will do it. Some people are doing it without any coordination or networking, although its fine for some time, but not always all the time when no support is extended.

After floods, we hear same story in all place, but they have a different impact. "Water came and we ran for lives, leaving everything behind and we lost all”. They all did the same as no one can turn back the nature. "Isn't it the same thing you would do in a flood.

The village that went under water

Pirambadative is village in Vallachanai. Its not searchable in google. Its isolated, unless these floods we won't know it. The only acces to the village is by a boat. On 10th January they all had suffer and went sleep. It was raining heavily but they were not bothered as they had not been hit by rain for decades known to them. Around 3.00 AM the water starts flowing into the village.



The rain has increased the water level and this small island was inundating. They asked for help and army came and requed them using boats. Some children only got to the boat when the water was knee high. Some adults were the last to be rescued, when the water was waist high. They had no time to be concerned on their belongings. Then they came to kinniadi school camp.



We could see their village about a kilometer away. Houses half covered. They said at highest flood, they could not see the roofs of many houses. When we asked how the condition in the village is, “we don’t know yet” they said. Imagining the damage done is not easy as we can imagine a village under waster. The fish is swimming around a kichten is what we can imagine.



They came to the camp in one dress they were wearing. Now for 4 days they were wearing the same. They were day workers and fisher community living from the lagoon. If Army could not save them, we would have a heard a tsunami story. “Thanni wandititu ellam poittu”, water came and every thing was gone. They were a self sustained community with Cattle, Goat, Poultry Breeding and fishing. Its even not possible to asses the damage to their life.




In one night a village become a displaced and their economy damage beyond easy recovery. The whole village is poor now with no meaning of economic recovery. The challenges they are facing now is to find food and clothing and a place to stay. The school can’t shelter them when water recedes. The next challenge is to rebuild their life.



Imagine a fisherman whose nets are gone. Imagine a mother whose 25 poltry who gave 15 eggs are gone. Imagine a child whose uniforms, books, pens and pencil and school bag is gone. Imagine a family returning to a broken or collapse house which had been in water for many days. Their priorities are when returned re-building their house. If they build it same way, they would be caught in next floods. How we improve their condition by designing new model of homes that would stand floods. One best example comes from Ratnapura, where people are flooding ready. We have to build their homes in a new design which I see as an opportunity to address climatic change related disasters.

Their next challenge is to find clean water. Whole network of wells to be cleaned, This require large number of pumps, which is not available in the area. We need volunteer groups bring water pumps help them.



The children need cloths and books to to school again. Unless we help, they will drop school and create a large unemployed group which will hinder national development. The text books can come from the government. Pens, pencils, schoolbags and exercise books can come from the students. School uniforms and casual dresses for children is a prime need.



The activities we can do is large list, which should be shared among us. The impact of floods is silent; it comes slow and recedes slow, damaging lives destroying domestic economy creating long term looses to a nation. Hence this disaster came from rain, would come again, we need to develop new disaster recovery linking it to national development. Hence this is an opportunity to approach with a community driven post flood re-building effort in a new way.

වැස්ස වැඩිවීම නිශ්ශබ්ද ව්‍යසනයක්

ගංවතුර ඇවිත් යන නිසා නිවුස් බලලා හැමදාමත් නිදාගත්තත්, පොලොනිනරුවේ මිතුරෙක් කථා කළාමයි වැස්සේ තත්වය බලන්න ඕනේ බව තේරුනේ. ආවාට පස්සේ දැක්කේ ඇත්ත තත්වය. එය බරපතලයි. එය නිශ්ශබ්ද ව්‍යසනයක්. සුනාමිය වගේ මිනිසුන් නොමැරුනාට හරකුන් දසදාස් ගණනක් එක්ක අලි හිටන් ගස් උඩ හිරවෙලා මැරුනු වැස්සක්.

මිනිස්සුන්ගේ ජීවිත බේරුනේ හමුදාව ඉක්මනට ක්‍රියාකරලා මිනිස්සු කඳවුරු වලට ගෙනාපු එක. සෞඛ්‍ය සේවයත්, පොලිසියත්, ප්‍රාදේශීය දේශපාලකයනුත්, ප්‍රදහශයේ ජනතාවත් කොහොම හරි මිනිස්සුන්ට කන්නට දෙනවා.
නමුත් ඇඳගනන හිටිය ඇඳුමින් ළමයි වඩාගන කඳවුරු අය බොහෝමයි.

වතුර ඇවිත් ගෙවල් වෙලාගන කුස්සියේ බඩු ටිකේ ඉඳන් ළමයින්ගේ පොත් පත්, ඇඳුම් ගහගන ගිහින්. සමහරක්ගේ ගෙවල් තාම වතුර යට. හූහක් කඩාගන වැටිලා. ගෙදරට ආදායම දුන්න කුකුළො මැරිලා,වැස්ස නිසා කුලී වැඩ ඇණහිටලා.

එකම ඇඳුමෙන් දවස් ගාණක්, තව දවස් කීයක් ඉන්නට වේද දන්නේ නෑ, ළමයින්ටයි අම්මලාටයි තමා හූඟක්ම ප්‍රශ්න. අත දරුවෝත් රාශියක්. තරුණ අය තැන් තැන් වල. සමහරක් නෑදෑ ගෙවල්වල. පවුල් විසිරිලා.

ළමයින්ට රාත්‍රිය වුතරක් නෙමේ දවලුත් සීතලයි, පොරවාගන්න බෙඩ් ශීට් නෑ. අඳින්න ඇඳුම් නෑ. ආහාර ලැබෙනවා. ළමයින්ට බිස්කට්, කිරිපිටි හිඟයි.

කෑම්ප් වල මදුරුවෝ, වටේටම වතුර නිසා ඩෙංගු බෝ වෙන අවදානම් තියනවා. නාගරික තැන්වල වැසිකිලි උතුරනවා. ලෙඩ බෝවෙන්න පුළුවන්. ඉක්මනට බහින ගංවතුරක් නෙවේ මේ. වැස්ස නිසා හැමතැනම පහත් බිම් පිරිලා. මුහුදත් ගන්නේ හිමිහිට.

සුංගාවිල, ගල්ලෑල්ල, නාවලඩි, වාලචචනේ,සිත්තන්ඩි , කින්නියාඩි, එරාවුරු, චෙන්කලාඩි ස්ථාන සමහරක්. හූඟක් ඉන්නේ ගමේම කඳවුරු වල, විශාල කඳවුරු ටිකයි. හූඟක් අය අවතැන් වෙලා ඉන්නේ ගමේමයි.

මේ වෙලාවේ ඔවුන්ට උදව් අවශයි. රටේ ආර්ථිකයට මෙය බලපෑම අඩුකරන්න. ජනතා සහය අවශ්‍යයි.

They left homes with only children

The day started with rain in Otatamawadu, a village in Vallachanai. We visited two small camps. The camps didn’t have much people. But their houses broken and things washed away or damaged. The children and women had lot of stress. We went see some homes, damaged. They were already poor when rain came.

They lived in leaf roofed; mud made houses and slept on floors on leaf weaved carpets. In most cases kitchen and bedroom. The bedroom also the living room. Their garden was lagoon shore and lived from fishing or days work. The hadn’t experienced flood this scale before. When water came they left home with children and now in camps. Still rain delays receding of water. Even if they return they have no place to sleep, no cloths, no kitchen utencils.

This all happened in few hours. Tsunami was just 15 minutes. Because people had some time lives were least lost, but the damage to the domestic economy seems huge, a silent killer flood.

With houses and belongings lost and displaced. Its peoples way of life that was lost, not much infrastructure. If whole country does not come supporting, this loss will reflect in national economy making more people suffer as a consequence. There is a severe need for nation wide support, People to People is a strong lesson we learned from Tsunami.

Children in Floods Sri Lanka Need Help

Children in Floods Manampitiya - Kadruwela

Her House Broken The Child Has No place to Sleep


This wall made of mud could not hold


This was her toy - She think its dead like her goat


She wants to re-build her life


A Toy no use now


The roads are still getting washed


The water flow


Riding on waves


Erosion


The rail track is usable