Children in the floods of Sri Lanka

Victoria DAM - Spills off

2011-02-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is Victoria DAM, Spilling Off... When we were kids we used to visit this small fall and play in its branch river. After sometime the government derided to build a reservoir and Hydro Electric Power Dam. I giot my first job opportunity in the Victoria Project. The money was good for some time for all worked. Then we had to leave when the reservoir inundated our villages. Our home town, house went under the water. People left to many area. Most of them lost contact. A displacement of development. Today its a huge dam, producing 40MW of Electricity, and holding water when rain comes for agriculture in Mahaweli System C. This is how it it over fills. This Dam made many children displaced but it was for a good cause and a planned cause, quite different from floods which come unexpectedly. I still miss my home town, my old home, the river we used to play and all, our paddy fields, my small school, my relatives in the village and all my friends when I see these photos.

Water so valuable in places where it's not available
But becomes a burden when its too much!

At least 35 pct of rice crop destroyed in Sri Lanka

2011-02-09T07:09:00.001-08:00

Seed paddy crop destroyed-Agriculture Ministry

By Ranga Sirilal and C. Bryson Hull

COLOMBO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Two rounds of flooding in Sri Lanka since January have destroyed at least 35 percent of the staple rice crop, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday, raising the risk of food price inflation. Heavy monsoon flooding since mid-January has caused landslides and burst hundreds of dams and killed at least 57 people. In the latest round this week, rising water forced at least 193,700 people into temporary shelters.

The rice crop has taken a major beating, according to preliminary government surveys, but Asian rice traders said the impact on the global market will be minimal as the country has stocks and import volumes are expected to be small. "On rough estimates, more than 300,000 hectares' have been completely destroyed so the total expected production is 1.75 million metric tonnes," Agriculture Ministry Secretary K.E Karunatilake, the ministry's top civil servant, told Reuters.

Total expected rice production this season had been 2.7 million metric tonnes (MT) from 739,000 hectares, he said. Sri Lanka is usually self-sufficient in rice production, having produced 3.65 million metric tonnes in 2009 against an average annual consumption of 2.34 million MT, according to data from the central bank and Census and Statistics Department. Last year it imported 52,000 tonnes of specialty rice. Despite self-sufficiency, politically influential traders are often accused of hoarding supplies. The government as of now has 188,000 MT in stock, according to the Census and Statistics Department. It had no data on private stocks, but they have historically been larger than the government supply.

400,000 children are without enough food in Sri Lanka due to Floods

2011-02-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

Over 400,000 children in Sri Lanka are facing a food crisis as a result of devastating floods since January 10th. The floods which came in two waves in January and February affected Kandy, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara districts. Over 1 million people have become displaced due to torental rain and agriculture and domastic economy has been devastated. The people who return to homes from temparory shelters are faced with food shortage and their homes, schools, crops and livelihoods have been wiped out by the rains.

The worst hit is Batticaloa district in Eastern province. The january rain flooded 90% of the district and damaged their agriculture and live stock. The sources say ove 1 million people, including 400,000 children are without enough food. The agricultural ministry says that 21% of the country's rice crop had been destroyed by rain. However this could be much more considering impact of rain in other areas and vegitable and fruit cultivation.

The rains could worse effect on local economy as much of the unaccounted domastic rice stocks have been destroyed. A mother from Kathankudi said that they have lost 50Kg rice pack stored in home. The stocks in rice mills that have been destroyed is yet un accounted.

This devastation is only second to 2004 tsunami which killed 400,000 people and left 2.5 million homeless.This floods is an enormous setback for a country which is only just beginning to recover from the 3 decades-long war. The experts say that there could be a food crysis in the coming weeks in flooded areas.

At least 250,000 acres of agricultural land and more than 240,000 livestoclek, and 80% of rice crop are considered to have been lost in the eastern part of Sri Lanka, which produces 25% of the rice to the people. As their harvest and lively hood have been washed away by rains, the people need support to repair their irrigation, roads and need to survive until next harvest. A health experts said that "children could face a major risk from food crisis and water born deceases leading to severe malnutrition problem".

Thae damages to agriculture also impact poor families who lost their daily labour work in agriculture works. Until landowners cultivate again, they can't find work. As a result the children would drop school and possibly forced in to child labour says a children welfare organization.

The UN assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Catherine Bragg, launched an appeal for flood victims "who were desperately vulnerable to begin with" after visiting the east.

More than a million affected by adverse weather conditions in Sri Lanka

2011-02-07T05:08:00.000-08:00

More than a million have been affected and 300,000 people have been displaced due to floods due to the adverse weather conditions says Disaster Management Center.The displaced have been provided with temporary shelter in 641 camps in flooded areas of Anuradhapura, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa Districts. The Met Department states the low pressure condition that is affecting the country would continue and Central, Eastern, Northern and North-Central areas would receive heavy rains. Mean while people of Badulu Oya in Badulla District have been displaced due to land slides, Yapa Chandralatha , our Badulla correspondent stated.

Food Shortage in Horowpothana - Anuradhapura

2011-02-07T04:52:00.000-08:00

Suranga, Reporting from Horowpothana says that there is a severe food shortage in Horowpothana. The town is again flooded and transport is limited to few roads and only heavy vehicals can travel. Due to the floods health issues have emerged. There is a shortage of medicine and medicare. Many children and women have become sick due to floods.

Accordring to reports there are 5134 people in 1541 Families have been affected in Horowpothana DS division. Among them 1234 are staying in 9 camps.

Rameeza reporting from Eravur, Batticaloa said, although the water receded yesturday, it has become rising today due to continuing rain. The road from Polonnaruwa was opened today, yet it may be closed again today if the rain continues. They say that there is a general issues of relief cordination to the people who live in villages due to accessibility issues and lack of support services and personnel.

Accordring to District Disaster Management Center 144, 533 persons in 41,000 families have been displaced in Anuradhapura district. Two deaths have been reported from Horowpothana area which included a child who was fallen in to a water hole. Many reserviors have been damaged. The Government has declared Anuradhapura city as a disaster zone Friday evening. Accordring to weather experts the rain may continue till end march.

2011-02-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

Mapakadawewa Tank - Mahiyanganaya

Randenigala Spillway

Randenigala DAM & Spill way

Randenigala Spill Way

Floods Hit Again

2011-02-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

Heavy rains in Ampara and Batticaloa district has affected the Eravur. The access to Eravura has been blooked by floods in Manampitiya road & Batticaloa road. Ramiza from Eravur reported of Crocadiles and Snakes in the floods. Her house downstairs is flooded. There is a severe shortage of food and basic essaintials in Eravur she said.

Kamila reporting from Nawaladi, said that people from Vakarai and Pirambaditive has come to ottamawadi, as well as there is a food shortage in the area.

Nadun Reporting from Polonnaruwa said that, the floods are worse than previous time and madigiriya area is fully affected.

Suranaga Reports from Horowpathana at
http://horowpothana.blogspot.com/
On the status of floods in Horowpathana in Anuradhapura District.

Our travel in east Monaragala and South of Ampara district wittnessed damage to agriculture and livelyhoods of people. It was rainining continuesly from 27th Janauary to 4 February on our way.
The rain continueing from 2010 November has damaged properties, agriculture and affected lives of people, where children are the most victimized. There is a problem of access to flooded areas due to flooding of accessible roads.

A Video By Suranga@Horowpathana

The Unknown Victims of Sri Lanka Floods 2011

2011-01-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-26T13:17:00.001-08:00

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

2011-01-26T13:16:00.001-08:00

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

2011-01-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-23T08:28:00.001-08:00

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

2011-01-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

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 ?

2011-01-20T12:25:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-19T10:15:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-14T12:46:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-14T11:38:00.000-08:00

Children in Floods Manampitiya - Kadruwela

2011-01-14T10:15:00.000-08:00

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

Need Bed Sheets and Cloths for Children

2011-01-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

There is a severe need of bed sheets and warm cloths. Small children in Nawaladi, on valachchane road are becoming ill due to cold. Anyone can send bed sheets in small quantities through busses coming to Valacchane or Baticaloa through Polannaruwa.

Local Contact
Kamila Joseph, 0719285575
There are about 5 camps in schools and community centers.

This floods as it recedes will severely impact the lives of poorest of poor like a small tsunami. As their cattle and hens dead, the domestic egg and milk production will impact women income. Children who lost books, shoes, school bags, pens, pencils and toys are in stress. There is a need for dhal and kitchen utensils.

Althouth it didn’t rain into Valacchanai, the atmosphere is very cold.

The people whose houses were damaged have been living in low lands, most of the small houses built with mud, have been destroyed in full or part. The water had risen to 3-4 feets. When people fled for safety with children, they left behind clothes, ktchen utencils, books and electrical appliances. Many of them is gone or brocken, The leaving of pultry in cages killed them. The herds of cattle bred outside village have died in large numbers. They also blocked the water ways. The army helped releasing the water reducing floods. The people living in flood plains are in stress due to loss of agriculture.

Still there is lack of support from outside disaster areas compared to tsunami where whole nation bounced back with support. Food, clothes arrived from everywhere and support for rebuilding available. In this floods it looks like government is doing it alone with local support. Although large number of people is not dead, the stress is high due to poverty in the eastern province. We did not see any International or local NGOs. Actually there were no outsiders.

The deaths of farm animals, damages to domestic poultry due to the deaths of animals make them more poor in coming months. As the paddy harvest will not come to market in march, Hike of prices in rise could happen in April.

As smaller camps model seems working well to maintain health conditions, but children health is at risk due to cold weather around camps, not well covered with walls. Unless warm conditions are created the smaller kids may not be able to stay health too long.

The east regeneration effect will be largely affected, if no support from outside communities not received. The support is needed in kind of basic accessories like bedsheets, warm cloths, shoes, slippers, toothpaste, brushes, kitchen utencils extra to food.

Stories Inside Floods

2011-01-12T10:57:00.001-08:00

Floods are playgrounds

Some cattles saved and rescued

Portable boats by volunteers

This was our road to school

Our cattle washed away!

Sri Lankas Rice bowl under water

Farm lands have become lakes!

Registration for food

Public Health is #1 priority - Innovative Community Officials

Floods bring all mothers under one roof

Children in the floods - say cheese for the photo

Schools turning to a Village dormatery

Real CSR is helping Customers in Need!

2011-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

Its 11.35 PM, we returned to Polonnaruwa for the night. The rain hasn’t stopped. It is not strong but uniform as a scale which does not make water recede. The environment is very cold. I can hear rain drops. It must be really hard for children who sleep on top of desks in schools. They don’t have beds and no bed sheets. They came camps leaving their clothes and bed sheets behind.

When I asked what the children need, they said school bags. It was first strange to me but we found out that they left homes in the night when the water was rising and their was no time to collect valuables. They just came to the camp.

The impact of this disaster is more on economic aspects rather than on human lives like in tsunami. Hence the real impact is yet to come. The loss of their harvest when it’s to be harvested is a major blow. As the irrigation systems have been damaged it’s unlikely that they can harvest next season. The first job would be repairing and re-buling the irrigation system before they can harvest again. Probably at least another season would be lost.

The question is how they would survive without harvesting a season.

According to the Public Health Officials cleaning the wells would be a major task after the floods. Government seems to have good systems in place to avoid spreading of deceases. But it will be a massive challenge to re-build economies. Comparing to tsunami , these floods are a silent destrpyer of economy. The damage to paddy lands will soon impact on rising rice prices in April and beyond. These were the best paddy lands in the country.

It’s important media to see beyond water into life’s of people and economies. CSR can help sending their economists to understand the inter-dependent economies of the flooded areas. The effect of these floods will soon be felt in country with possible food shortages. Unless we are able to build the economy of the flooded areas, the impact of economy will be spread to the country. That’s why we see these floods as a salient
Destroyer.

The government has deployed three forces, police and health officials and provides food for victims. Health issues seem under control in the locations we visited, but they need assistance to continue support.

We did not see any CSR contributions coming in like in tsunami. These are the customers of big corporation, hence they have a responsibility to attend to the needs and be responsive. In a flood it’s not only food, shelter and clothes they need. They need new knowledge to re-build; we wonder where it would be coming from. We see that civil society seems ignorant of fellow citizens, leaving everything to the government. This is growing to be a national problem directly affecting economy, although many not aware of, including us. We learnt only when we visited.

WE THINK THAT CORPORATES SHOULD COME FORWARD. IT IS THE REAL CSR. BECAUSE THEY ARE CUSTOMERS AND DEFINITELY WILL IMPACT IN PROFITS.

Please come and see , then only you will know.

Where is the tsunami spirit?

Let us help the children of Polonnaruwa

2011-01-12T04:29:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

The present situation of flooding at the District of Polonnaruwa is worsening due to the intermittent heavy rains. Now we are experiencing heavy rains again. Therefore I as the welfare officer of Pulathisi suwa sansadaya at General Hospital Polonnaruwa, invite all of the citizens of Sri Lanka as well as the Sri Lankans living abroad to help the children affected.

We already dispose our funds at Pulathisi suwa sansadaya to three internally displaced citizens camps at Manampitiya area. And we can arrange the distribution of your funds through the Public Health Inspectors who directly involves with these people.

Thousands of innocent children awaiting your generosity.

Lamasiri Dinesh Bandara,
Welfare officer,
Pulathisi Suwa Sansadaya,
General Hospital.
Polonnaruwa.

Post: W.M.L.D.B.Wasala Mudali,
Public Health Inspector,
Infection control & Public Health Unit,
General Hospital, Polonnaruwa.

Phone: 071-4410542
075-7195981

Email: wmldb@yahoo.com

Somawathi - Thambala Road

2011-01-12T04:10:00.000-08:00

Smawathie Sthupa in Floods

Photos By : Imthiyas M H , Refai Socail Development Organization

Sungawila - Thamabala Situation

2011-01-12T03:56:00.000-08:00

Today we reached Polonnaruwa about 11.30. Polonnaruwa was cold like Nuwaraeliya. It started drizzling. The city was calm. We went to Sungawela, along lankapura somawathie road. We visited Thambala Alhilal central school, where an about 400 muslin children, women and men were staying. They had lost their farms and cattle. As they said about 3000 of 5000 cattle were dead, which was also confirmed by Navy.

Their paddy fields and irrigation systems destroyed. It will be at least 6 months before harvasting again. The women said that there kitchen utensils were washed away. Children said their school bags, books and uniforms washed away. They need basic items like soap, toothpaste too.

It will be days that they can return to homes. The water is still not receding for them to return to homes.
The public health inspectors, police and local polticians are very helpful.

They have sent lorry loads of rice to tsunami victims, now they are in distress need assistance from south.

Contact
M H M Nazim
Refai Social Development Organization
64, Alhilal pura
Thambala
Pollonnaruwa
0719289722
Sadeek123@gmail.com

Polonnaruwa Situation 2010 Jan 11

2011-01-11T22:37:00.000-08:00

I am at Public Health Unit of General Hospital, Polonnaruwa. Accordring to Dinesh Wasala Mudali, Public Health Inspector.

-Water Levels are not yet receding
-People are in 8 camps

Immediate Needs
Cooked Food, Clothes (Bed), Dresses, Water Bottles, Milk Food
Children Need Toys, Story Books, Coloring Pens

How to send relief Item

Pulathisi Suwa Sansadaya
General Hospital
Polonnaruwa

0714410542
wmldb@yahoo.com

Children in the Floods - Sri Lanka Need Help!

2011-01-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Shilpa Sayura Team responding to the appeal by the government for public to help flood victims of the torrential rains and strong winds which lashed Sri Lanka country in the past few days, made this initiative to help the children affected by the floods 2011. We are focusing on children as we think they are the most vulnerable group in disasters.

The impact of 2011 floods disaster is more damaging than it seems.

News sources report that the floods and earth slips have displaced over 830,000 people in the Eastern, North central and Central provinces and destroyed over 132,000 acres of agriculture land. Government announced that there are over 800,000 flood victims needing drinking water, clothing, mats and milk food for the children.

Over 170 small irrigation tanks in Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, and Anuradhapura districts have been destroyed while 172 were partly destroyed as reported by News sources quoting agriculture department.

Based on our previous experience supporting tsunami victims, right now the children are hungry, and their health would be in danger staying in camps. When floods recede more problems will emerge. Their houses damaged, their parents farms destroyed and their books and cloths would have washed away. Their schools destroyed, the records are lost, furniture washed away. We see this is a moment to act as a nation to re-build their life and education long term basis.

It's the reason we are starting “Children in the Floods” initiative, and we need you to help children in the floods to get back to a normal life. Immediately Now! and more to be done after the floods recede.

As we see, right now they need everything from water to cloths.

Please start your own initiatives, in every way you can, bring everyone in.
Start collecting centers for water, dry food, warm clothes, slippers ....

THEY NEED EVERY THING TO LIVE A BASIC LIFE !

We do not have much resources on our own,
but we belive ICT and Social Media can Help them

Our first action is to send a team to Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Anuradhapura tommorow to report from the field on the needs of children affected by this disaster and make contacts with grass groups helping the volunteers.

If you like to create an initiative to help them, we can assist you to make contacts with grass root groups helping the victims. From tommorow we will try ro bring you more reports from fields.

Please contact

Anil Vithanage,
Community Support Coordinator
Shilpa Sayura Foundation
+94771093015

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