4. Promoting Cooperation in Disaster Reduction

4-2-2. Disaster Prevention Investigation Mission in Sri Lanka1)

SummaryThe monsoon rainstorm hit the mid-western part of Sri Lanka on May 17 - 18, 2003,
causing the most devastating large scale landslide disaster in the post-colonial history of thecountry, which killed 252 people and affected approximately 600,000 people (more than150,000 households). Landslide damages concentrated in the Matara and Ratnapura districts,
where many houses were damaged.
At the request from Sri Lanka’s National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), ADRC
dispatched a mission to conduct a field investigation into the feasibility of constructing adisaster prevention system for reducing meteorological disasters in Sri Lanka.

2)

Dates
August 4 – 9 , 20033)

Investigation Mission(Name/Title, Organization): (Field of Investigation)
Fumiaki Yoshimura (Chief researcher, ADRC): Disaster Reduciton Administration
Tetsushi Kurita (Chief researcher, ADRC): Disaster Reduciton Systems
SriGowri Sanker (Visiting researcher, ADRC): Binational Cooperation
Hiroaki Minakami (Engineer, Japan Weather Association): Meteorological Systems4)

Details

DateAug. 4

Aug. 5Aug. 6

Aug. 7
Aug. 8Aug. 9

Table 4-2-2-1 Details of the Field Investigation
Locations
Activities
Arrival in Colombo―Was briefed on• Natural disasters in Sri Lanka
NDMC• Damages from the flood disaster in May• Disaster prevention system in Sri Lanka
Meteorological Agency
Investigated the current meteorological system
JBIC
Gathered information on the current situation of SriJICA
Lanka
Japanese Embassy
Ministry of Social Welfare
Paid a courtesy visit to the minister and vice-minister
Investigated public communication network (fixedSri Lanka Telecomand mobile phones)
Ministry of Irrigation
Investigated flood prevention measures
Geography Bureau
Investigated the progress in map data collection
National Institute ofInvestigated the status of the sediment disaster hazard
Architecturemap
Exchanged views on the system to be constructed in
Meteorological Bureau
futureNational Institute ofHad hearings for sediment disaster investigation
Architecture
Japanese Embassy
Reported the findings of the investigation
JBIC
Ratnapura district
Investigated sediment disaster sites
Departure from Colombo―１０３

4. Promoting Cooperation in Disaster Reduction

Fig. 4-2-2-15)

Meeting with the Social Welfare Minister (center)

Findings(1) Sediment Disaster Damages in Ratnapura district
The mission visited the landslide disaster sites in the Ratnapura district, where damages fromthe sediment disaster in May concentrated, to be briefed on the damage situation by district
administrators. Each victim household who lost their house would receive 100,000 rupees andland to build a new house on from the Government. Households who had their houses
half-destroyed would respectively receive 40,000 rupees to have their houses repaired.
However, half-destroyed houses located on hazardous areas were deemed ascompletely-destroyed. This allowed their owners to secure new housing with no financial
burden. Reconstruction works were scheduled to complete by October.
Compulsory relocation of residents had already been under way in the hazardous spots(designated by the Government) around the sediment disaster areas. Evacuees weretemporarily staying at refugee camps while waiting for their houses at new locations to becompleted.

House resistedthe landslideFig. 4-2-2-2 Landslide Site
(The whole area was designated as a hazard area. The occupants of the house
had already moved out)

１０４

4. Promoting Cooperation in Disaster Reduction

Highest waterlevel markFig. 4-2-2-3

A house with the highest water level marked on its wall(2) Necessity of Developing a Disaster Reduction System
The hearing survey with Sri Lankan disaster reduction-related organizations revealed that
installation of measuring equipment such as rain gauges and weather radars would not
automatically lead to reduction of meteorological disasters, and that it was necessary not onlyto develop human resources for the operation of such equipment but also to establish asustainable disaster ersuction framework including financial aspects.
The mission explained these facts to Sri Lankan disaster managers, and proposed todevelop a disaster reduction system consisting of the following components:• Monitoring and forecasting systems for rainfall, landslides, etc.
• Training programs for disaster managers• Creation of community-by-community hazard maps and evacuation plans

１０５