Sri Lanka. G.H.P. Dharmaratna Department of Meteorology. Disaster Risk Reduction for Safer Sri Lanka

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1 Sri Lanka G.H.P. Dharmaratna Department of Meteorology Disaster Risk Reduction for Safer Sri Lanka

2 Land Area Population Pop. Density - 65,525 Sq km Million per km 2 Literacy rate % Ethnic Mix - Sinhalese - 74 % Tamil - 18 % Muslim - 7 % Others - 1 %

3 Hazard Profile of Sri Lanka: Major natural hazards - floods, droughts, cyclones, landslides and coastal erosion. Other localized hazards - lightning strikes, epidemics and effects of environmental pollution Human induced hazards - hazards resulting from deforestation, indiscriminate coral, gem and sand mining Tsunami Millions Flood Tsunami Landslide Drought Storms Number of people affected by natural disasters in Sri Lanka

4 TSUNAMI 2004 Southern, Western, Eastern and Northern coastal belt is prone to Tsunami The unprecedented havoc caused by Tsunami had devastated two thirds of the coastal belt of Sri Lanka. More than 35,000 lives were lost and 100,000 houses were completely damaged in thirteen districts along the coastal belt. Approximately 5,000 people were missing.

5 Some of the devastation..

6 Payagala Sri Lanka

7 Galle harbour

8 Hambantota

9 Prior to 2005, Sri Lanka had no legal framework for disaster management Disaster Management Act. No. 13 of 2005 was ratified on 13 May 2005, to provide a legal framework for disaster risk management in Sri Lanka National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM) Under the Chairmanship of H.E. the President Disaster Management Centre (DMC) As the focal institute for disaster management

10 National Level Tech. Com. in each division Proposed Organizational Structure Disaster Management Centre Disaster Management Centre (Director General) National Consultants Risk Assessment, Data Collection, Research & Analysis Centre Disaster Management Technology, Mitigation Unit Multi-Hazard Early warning Dissemination Unit Preparedness Planning Unit Training, Education & Public Awareness Unit 24 x 7 National Emergency Operation Centre Finance Branch Personnel & Administration Branch Media Unit Intermediate & Local Levels District Emergency Operation Centres (DRM Coordinators) Disaster Management Assistants

11 Initiative for Disaster Risk Management A framework to identify and Coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts in the next 10 years a holistic strategy a Road Map Towards building a safer Sri Lanka

12 Definitions of Interest Risk = Hazard x Exposure x Vulnerability Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability Capacities Capacities focus on group measures that are in place to help the community to cope with the event. Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability x Deficiencies in Preparedness

13 Initiative for Disaster Risk Management Priority projects identified under seven thematic areas: Government of Sri Lanka is committed to implement the Road Map proposals. 1. Policy, institutional mandates and Institutional development. 2. Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment 3. Tsunami and Multi Hazard Early Warning System 4. Preparedness and Response Plans 5. Mitigation and integration of DRR into development planning 6. Community based Disaster Risk Management 7. Public Awareness, Education and Training

14 Recent Initiatives With JICA assistance a system to assess the flood risk in 4 river basins are being implemented with Irritation Dept. Capacity of Met. Dept and ID is being improved Intra-government communication net work is being established to improve the decision making capacity

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16 DOM Grant Aid : Meteorological Information Network Real Time Monitoring of Meteorological Data JICA Assisted Project to improve forecasting capability of DoM Satellite 38 Automatic Weather Stations

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18 Doppler Radar Project WMO Trust Fund Gongala Peak Proposed Radar Site

19 Dam Safety Ministry of Agriculture Development & Agrarian Services has commenced Dam Safety and Water Resource Planning with WB funding. One of the main objectives is to reduce the water induced hazards to public Independent authority will be established to assess the safety of dams periodically

20 Hazard Mapping Participatory Hazard Mapping carried out with communities. Community blocks of houses are selected for hazard mapping. This ensures cohesive ownership of the activity. It also allows identification of informal leadership to ensure sustainability of the intervention. Disaster prone areas are identified. Routes, Safe areas, RVs are marked.

21 EVACUATION PLANS, EVACUATION ROUTS,EVACUATION PLACES IN TSUNAMI, LANDSLIDE AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS

22 Improving coping capacity Preparedness plans developed at District, Divisional and GN level Evacuation drills at school and hospital undertaken Early warning forecasting and dissemination system streamlined Emergency communication system is being implemented covering whole island

23 Programs to create awareness

24 School programs School programs include: Awareness creation Identification of evacuation sites Identification of a team of first responders Mock Drill

25 Awareness Material on Disasters

26 Area Covered by LIDAR Survey Lidar survey completed from Puttalum to Arugambay covering 4 km wide coastal belt with a grant from Italian Govt. Puttalam Colombo Potuvil

27 Seeking a Reliable Communication System for Last One Mile Government Community Communication Tools DMC DEWN Multi hazard EW tower Temple Bell Flood Warning District Division Loudspeaker car SMS Police Evacuation Instruction Media Handy speaker TV & Radio Loudspeaker In cooperation with CBDM

28 Integrating disaster Management in to development projects Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has agreed in principal to intergraded the disaster management in development project with the inclusion of disaster impacts in the EIA process Hazard maps and data required to asses the disaster impacts should be made available to developers before regulations are formulated Officers should be trained to assess disaster risk and propose mitigation measures

29 I. Make disaster risk reduction [DRR] a priority Activities and results Enactment of the Sri Lanka Disaster Management (DM) Act Roadmap for Disaster Risk Management Towards a Safer Sri Lanka Formulation of Sri Lanka National Disaster Management Policy Formulation of National Disaster Management Plan and National Emergency Operation Plan Gaps and challenge identified For speedy and smooth functioning of the DRM mechanism amendments to the act is required Some of the major stakeholders do not have the legal mandates for carrying out the required functions There no legislation to for integration of DRR in all development projects There are more than one nodal ministry at national level to look after all phases of DM cycle Plan Cabinet approval obtain to amend the Act, restructure DMC and provided mandate to organization without mandate Amend the act to involve Local Govt. And Provincial Govt. in Disaster response

30 I. Make disaster risk reduction [DRR] a priority

31 II. Improve risk information and early warning Activities and results Establish Disaster and Emergency Warning Network - (DEWN) Establishment of Nation-wide Emergency Communication System Erecting Multi-Hazard Warning Towers in Selected Coastal Areas Links with media and international level early warning providers established (PTWC, JMA) Establish early warning committees at village level and provide equipment to disseminate EW message Gaps and challenge identified The inherent attitude of communities in forgetting past happenings very quickly. Minimize issue of false warning by individuals and interested organisations Maintain the enthusiasm of village level EW committees Breakdown of communication system due to congestion Inadequate capacity of focal points to forecast early warning Plan Strengthen the capacity of Early Warning committees at village level Encourage use of traditional systems such as drums, bells in religious places to warn pubic

32 MET Traditional communication systems in villages LANDSLIDE WARNING Public Announcements through Radio, TV (Cyclones, Floods, Landslides) Public Evacuation

33 II. Improve risk information and early warning Early warning using SMS Early Warning Tower 38 Automatic Weather Stations

34 III. Build a culture of safety and resistance Activities and results Conducting DRM Training Programme Public Awareness Programme on DRM Integration of Disaster Management into School curriculum Capacity building for preparedness and response at community level Govt has declared Dec 26 as a National Safety Day undertake programmes to improve awareness Establishment of National Platform at National level Gaps and challenge identified Even with threat to their lives some communities do not heed to the alerts and resist evacuations Dependency of people on disaster relief provided Changing prevailing attitudes from reactive to proactive Plan Conduct training programme to strengthen the 1 st Aid, search & rescue capacity Conduct programme to change prevailing attitudes from reactive to proactive Introduce community based micro insurance programme at village level Establish platforms at sub national level to improve coordination

35 EVACUATION PLANS, EVACUATION ROUTS,EVACUATION PLACES IN TSUNAMI, LANDSLIDE AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS

36 III. Build a culture of safety and resistance Drought resistance paddy verities Strengthening community resilience Raththel Hazard mapping exercise

37 IV. Reduce the underlying risk factors Activities and results Development of guidelines for construction in disaster prone areas Assist district organizations to implement flood mitigation activities Development of Hazard maps and Risk profile for Floods, Cyclones, Tsunami, Droughts and Landslides Introduce methodology to incorporate disaster impacts in the development planning stage Gaps and challenge identified Difficulties in resettling people living in identified high risk landslide prone areas due to social and political issues EIA process does not address impacts of disasters adequately Inadequate funds for DRR activities Plan Enforcement of the legal provisions already in place. E.g., land use zoning considering prevalent hazards Develop criteria to mitigate disaster impact at project development stage & train stakeholder on the assessment of impacts Train stakeholders to use hazard maps and

38 IV. Reduce the underlying risk factors Kospelena DRR by Mitigating Floods DRR by implementing Mitigating activities.

39 V. Strengthen preparedness to respond in an emergency at all levels in order to effectively and speedily assist those who are adversely affected Activities and results Establishment of 24/7 Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) Development of Disaster Preparedness & Response Plan Capacity Building of Local Authorities for Emergency Response Development of Sri Lanka Disaster Resource Network (SLDRN) Conducting evacuation drills at villages, schools and hospitals Introduction of Incident Command System for Emergency Response Gaps and challenge identified Immediately after a severe event, drills and community planning activities etc. were well received by the community, but interest fading away after some time Difficulty in sustaining the interest of trained volunteers at village level Plan Continue developing disaster preparedness and response plans at sub-national levels Promoting Community Volunteerism & continue developing coping capacity of people Integrate DRM activities with poverty alleviation programmes Practicing island wide evacuation drills on National safety Day.

40 V. Strengthen preparedness to respond in an emergency at all levels in order to effectively and speedily assist those who are adversely affected Development of Hazard maps Guidelines for construction in hazard prone areas

41 Conclusion Establish a regional level Tsunami Early warning provider Encourage the sharing of data and information of frequent disaster in the region Provide more opportunities to share experience Assist to develop the capacity of those involved in disaster Management field.

42 Thank you