A bus struggles through the floodwater. Photo courtesy Sarvodaya, Over a million people are affected, and Batticaloa is the worst hit. Photo courtesy Batticaloa Police, Relief items unloaded in Batticaloa - Sarvodaya Media Unit, A boatload of supplies - Sarvodaya and Batticaloa submerged. Photo courtesy Batticaloa Police

By Raisa Wickrematunge and Abdul H. Azeez

Heavy rains lashed the island unmercifully this week. The ensuing floods and earth slips have damaged houses, affecting over a million people.  Further dangers that will only be truly realised in the months to come are imminent. The floods have begun to affect paddy cultivation across key areas of the island, seriously threatening Sri Lanka’s staple food supply in the future.
400,000 Acres Flooded
“400,000 acres of paddy land have already been lost,” said Assistant Director of Agriculture, K.B. Gunaratne.  This is equivalent to 360,000 tonnes of paddy irretrievably destroyed. According to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a total of 109,670 acres of paddy land in Batticaloa is 50‐100% affected. Four fertilizer stores and 24 culverts are also damaged. The Acting Commissioner, Agriculture Department reports 64 fully damaged and 83 partially damaged irrigation tanks in Batticaloa as well.
In Ampara, the Agriculture Department is unable to assess the crop loss, as water levels are still too high. However UNOCHA said initial estimates indicate that 25,000 acres of paddy and 1,500 acres of highland crop harvests have been lost.  An individual consumes 104 kilogrammes a year, on average, Gunaratne added. That equates to approximately two million tonnes of paddy, which means that in the chaos of one week, roughly 20% of annual consumption has been lost. At the moment, the stores are full after the Yala harvest. However after these reach the market, and existing stores get depleted it is likely that Sri Lanka would face a severe shortage of rice come June this year, said Gunaratne.
The Maha harvest, which is set for February and March, is likely to yield much less than usual due to most of the major paddy cultivation areas being under water. Batticaloa, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu have been hit by severe rains and flood damage over the past week. Unfortunately, other areas like Tissamaharama and Kurunegala that can usually provide a buffer crop are also flooded. For the moment, only the Mahaweli B and C zones are unaffected, the Assistant Director said.
“The government has no option but to wait until the water subsides to re-cultivate. There is no short term solution,” Gunaratne noted. However the government plans to provide farmers with seed paddy free of charge, so that they can re-cultivate the land once the water recedes, he added.

More pressing issues
Although the threat of a rice shortage looms, there are other more immediate problems to attend to. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) stated that as of Friday (14) a total of 1,055,668 people have been affected by the heavy rains. So far 27 persons are dead and 49 people have been injured while 12 are missing. About 363,078 people are displaced in 599 temporary relocation centers.

Batticaloa a sea of water - Nisho Arul, Houses damaged in Batticaloa, Negotiating waters - Photo Nisho Arul and Chickpea distributed - Photo Sarvodaya

The east coast bore the brunt of the deluge, with Batticaloa and Ampara the worst hit. Areas like Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura are in a bad way as well. 32,337 people are displaced in Trincomalee. The Manampitiya area in Polonnaruwa was completely inundated on Wednesday, making the road impassable, though by Thursday (13) the rain had stopped. 2203 people were displaced here on Friday. In Anuradhapura, 1,983 people sought shelter in welfare centres. In Ratnapura, a mini cyclone hit on Thursday leading to 433 people being displaced. In the North, the sluice gates of the Vavunikulam tank were opened, leading to flooding in Paliyaru village, where the water level rose as high as five feet.
The Ground Situation In Batticaloa
Batticaloa is definitely the worst hit by the elements. “The situation is very bad,” SSP I.M. Karunaratne, stationed in Batticaloa, said. He added that most of the area is flooded, including the camps where the displaced are sheltered. Karunaratne said that communicable diseases were already spreading, with cases of fever, diarrhoea and dysentery reported.
Government Agent of Batticaloa, Sundaram Arumainayagam echoed similar sentiments when he spoke to The Sunday Leader on Wednesday. “The water level is rising. Most of the irrigation tanks are filling, and there is heavy rain today,” he said. He added that 15 teams had already been deployed to welfare centres to look after the people there. “I don’t think that (health issues) will be a problem,” he said.
A situation report by UNOCHA dated Wednesday (12) said that 200 small and medium tanks had been breached and washed away. “Other tanks are spilling over,” it read. Schools will remain closed, as most of the displaced have taken shelter there. Reporters in the area on Thursday said that the rain had stopped, but it remained cold. Although water levels had fallen a little, some interior areas remained cut off due to flooding. UNOCHA noted that the Vavuniyathivu bridge was damaged, and that nearby villages had no access into Batticaloa town. Meanwhile, the electricity supply had been cut off in many places and ‘hospitals, government offices, shops are unable to function,’ the report said.

Batticaloa Statistics
(Figures as of Friday (14) according to the Disaster Management Centre)
Number of people affected by floods:    541,688
Number of families affected:    145,131
Number of people in IDP camps:    165,494
Number of welfare centres in Batticaloa:    275
Reported deaths:    9
Houses destroyed:    1553
Houses damaged:    3958

The Air Force is transporting supplies to the Somawathi area in the East, Spokesman Janaka Nanayakkara said on Wednesday. “We are transporting dry rations. Our last consignment amounted to 14,000 kilogrammes,” Nanayakkara said. “There is incessant rain, gusty winds, a lot of water, and quite a few hungry people,” Nanayakkara said of the situation.
Later, UNOCHA reported that the Air Force airlifted 3.5 metric tonnes of food rations to Batticaloa and a further 13 metric tonnes to Trincomalee. The Air Force, Navy and Army are all working together in evacuation and rescue operations as well. Over 55 people were rescued between Monday and Tuesday, it was reported.  Military spokesman Ubaya Medawala however said that as many as 450 had been rescued. He added that apart from these operations, the military was providing and distributing dry rations and cooking meals for the displaced. “We have managed to find safe areas for people to stay. The rain is continuing, and when it ceases we will provide alternative areas,” Medawala said. He said that all basic facilities had been provided by the Government Agents and District Secretariats.
The Indian Air Force is flying in supplies on Friday (14) and Monday (17) consisting of ready to eat meals, dry rations, baby food and other non food items such as water purification tablets. Peace Winds Japan is providing dry rations to people in welfare centres in Muttur.
In terms of non food items, UNICEF has made available 50 water tanks (1,000 litres capacity each), water tablets able to purify two million litres of water, 7,000 tarpaulins, bleaching powder, 7,000 sleeping mats, 3,000 buckets, 30,000 bars of soap and cooking pots as immediate relief assistance.

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Ampara Statistics

(Figures provided by the Disaster Management Centre as of Friday)
Number of people affected by the floods:    418,154
Number of families affected by floods:    112,384
Number of displaced:    157,649
Number of welfare centres:    169
Reported deaths:    9
Houses destroyed:    956
Houses damaged:    4,393

Heavy rain made life come to a grinding halt. Photo courtesy Nisho Arul

Ampara too was heavily hit by the rains and flooding was rampant. But by Wednesday rain had stopped and water levels were beginning to recede, GA of Ampara Sunil Kannangara told The Sunday Leader. Cooked food was available at the welfare camps. There was dire need for items like mats, bedsheets, towels, water, mosquito coils, biscuits, toothpaste and toothbrushes. However, the government is already collaborating with NGOs to provide these items, he said.

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Donation Drives
The Disaster Management Centre has released a relief items list. The list calls for everything from sugar, tea and biscuit packets to water purification tablets, mosquito coils, mosquito nets and bedsheets, soap and clothing items. Interested donors have been asked to deliver supplies to No. 07 Stores, Central Food Stores, Department of Food, Orugodawatte – Welampitiya, or contact Lt.Col. Ashoka Peiris, Deputy Director, Disaster Management Centre (0773957902). For a complete list of the items needed, check www.dmc.gov.lk.
The Presidential Secretariat has also opened a collection centre to receive relief material for the flood affected. Those interested in donating are invited to call 0773721202/ 0773929292. The Rotaract Club plans to send a batch of goods through UNHABITAT by January 19 (Wednesday). Director, Community Service Bhagya Ratnayake (0772928151) is the point of contact.
The All Ceylon Jamiatul Ulama will take donations; call 01115373148 or credit account no 1320006768 at the Maradana Commercial Bank branch. The Girl Guides Association is delivering dry rations. Call  2695720. Muslim Aid Sri Lanka accepts donations for hygiene packs worth Rs 1500, at MCB Banking Ltd, Islamic division, AC no 004021000610.
Perhaps the worst news of all is that the Meteorology Department has forecast that the rain could continue until at least Friday (14). The Department has said that the heavy rainfall will ease. However due to the North East monsoon, ‘scattered rainfall’ is expected. More than 360,000 people have had to abandon their homes, with 599 centres to accommodate them. Access to the worst hit areas is particularly difficult due to the weather. Over a million people are affected, and at present, the numbers look set to increase.

While the country battled the recent floods caused by torrential rains across the island, The Sunday Leader learned of an additional predicament the people of the Trincomalee District have had to face – a delay in, and allegedly inefficient co-ordination of, emergency aid relief.
According to people of the Mutur division, including those involved in aid work, the worst rains and flooding had begun on January 8 (Saturday), but even by Monday (10), the state had not properly responded with emergency relief measures.
When contacted on Monday, Convener, People’s Forum in Mutur, Mohammad Jihad, said that among the difficulties the people faced was a lack of support and coordination. “This time around there are no NGOs to step in and provide relief, and the government has done very little,” he said. Initially, the delay in aid reaching the people was attributed to inaccessibility of certain areas that were completely flooded, and disconnected from the main roads.
Mutur Divisional Secretary, N. Selvanayakam, explained that state support to flood victims seeking shelter in welfare centres included the provision of cooked meals and dry rations. One of the greatest challenges they faced, he said, was the lack of transport facilities, with most of Mutur being accessible only by boat. However, two days later, when the aid trickling in was still deemed insufficient, concerns were raised, and the people concluded that there was a lot more the state could do.
“Our situation hasn’t received enough attention,” said Jihad on Wednesday (12). “Things are happening now, but it’s very slow. There isn’t enough food for the people. It is the community that has had to step in to help, with the assistance of the mosques, churches and local organisations,” he added.
The people of Kinniya, too, faced a similar state of affairs. “The government’s response, their capacity to act quickly in terms of giving aid, is not happening as we expect it to,” said Executive Director of Kinniya Vision, Mohamed Saifullah. In Kinniya, said Saifullah on Thursday (13), some villages had been disconnected from the rest of the town, when bridges and link roads were either broken or inaccessible due to floods. “Access is only through boats. There are requirements not being met yet. It is the people who are sympathising, and reacting,” he said, adding that there were stranded families in certain areas, who may need to be evacuated.
“The government has taken up most of the work, managing welfare camps,” said Kinniya Divisional Secretary, M. Mubarak. However, he added that many people had also opted to stay with family and friends, in which case it was less likely that aid would reach them. “If they are in camps, we can help them,” he explained.
When The Sunday Leader contacted Trincomalee Government Agent Major General (Retd.) Ranjith de Silva, he claimed that his office was doing its best to see to the needs of the people.
“The government machinery is functioning properly. We have organised boats, and the navy, army and police are helping,” he said.
He added that his aim was to protect the lives of the people, to provide shelter and other basic needs like medicine. “We have ensured that nobody is hungry. Our officers have been working with no break. We are happy with what we are doing,” said the GA. Despite these claims, there have been concerns raised regarding the situation in certain parts of Trincomalee. “People at camps sometimes expect more and may be dissatisfied. There are some essential items that the government cannot provide. Also, the stranded people require special assistance. We can mobilise people and resources to help, if the GA coordinated these efforts,” said Saifullah, whose organisation is among those involved in relief efforts.
There were also claims that certain organisations had been asked not to carry out aid work in Kinniya and the Trincomalee town, and to focus on other areas instead. The Government Agent, however, denied these allegations, saying that all NGO support was welcome.
“I released instructions on the 9th in writing. My officers are doing a very good job,” he added.

The greatest natural disaster to strike out at the third world in modern times was the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. On December 26 an underwater earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia triggered a series of highly destructive tsunamis. Countries all around the region were struck; including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and Thailand. As the death toll rose rapidly the international community stepped up their fundraising for relief efforts.
However the greatest effort in the relief process came from the public themselves. In Australia, advertising campaigns were run depicting the countries affected as being left helpless and reliant on the international community. Media outlets in these countries portrayed images of the foreign NGOs travelling to the affected areas assisting in aid distribution. But what all of this “international” coverage failed to show were the efforts on the part of the local populace. By the evening of December 26 people from all over the country were volunteering and assisting in the relief efforts in one way or another. Much of the youth in Colombo, who had shaken off their Christmas hangovers, began volunteering at Red Cross and other such NGOs.
Their jobs varied from packing dry rations and drinking water, to actively collecting goods from house to house and other collection points. Households were also setting up separate collection points to increase the distribution of the goods to the affected regions. The efforts were not restricted to collection and distribution, the authorities were stretched all along the country recovering bodies and attending to the injured. Due to this, the local communities took it upon themselves to help in transporting and burying the dead.
United Nations Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, criticised the international community as being ‘stingy’ and ‘slow in donating’. However, he failed to highlight the rapid response of the local populace. By December 28, food convoys had been dispatched to the South and East of the country, while by December 29, the first temporary camps had been setup. Within two weeks, the emergency operations were winding down and long term projects were being implemented.
Less than a year on from the tsunami, the United States of America was struck by Hurricane Katrina. Officials compared it to the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. The hurricane developed over the Bahamas and caused the most severe damage in New Orleans, Southern Louisiana. By the end of the storm it had been estimated that over 80% of the city and surrounding areas had been flooded. Furthermore, the floodwaters remained for weeks. The greatest criticism that followed the disaster was the slow and often inadequate response on the part of the Bush administration.
Unlike the Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina provided the state with prior warning. Officials explained that they had designated areas as safe zones, while it was estimated that the food and water stored would be enough to sustain 15,000 citizens for three days. However, supplies were exhausted within 24 hours. The Federal Emergency Management Agency Director, Michael D. Brown, stated that the authorities were not prepared for the much larger number of refugees. The under prepared nature of the officials came under much criticism due to the prior warning the United States had.
Within two days of the hurricane the national guard arrived with relief packages and provided security. However, members of Congress declared that the regions worst affected, such as New Orleans, had not received any aid. The authorities explained that the prevailing conditions were hindering the relief efforts. They were unable to explain why the more affluent regions received the aid faster than the poorer regions.
However, the one aspect that greatly differed between the relief efforts seen following the Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina was the role of the public. When Hurricane Katrina struck much of the populace sought refuge in the pre-designated evacuation zones. Once the storm passed the people chose to remain idly by awaiting the authorities to commence the relief operations. It was only once it became clear that these operations were being delayed due to negligence on the part of the Bush administration that the locals began assisting in these operations. Many critics have explained that it was due to New Orleans being one of the poorer regions which led to the delayed relief. Others have explained that the over-reliance on the authorities was another issue.
Federal Emergency Management Agency analyst, David Gowan, explained that following this disaster the authorities were unable to assist all the affected areas immediately. He added that it was at times like this that ‘the public must step forth and assist in anyway possible.’
Often first world countries are viewed as being sufficiently prepared for natural disasters. Millions of dollars are often invested by these countries in technology designed at preventing any great disruption to everyday life following a disaster. In December 2010 the European continent and the United Kingdom experienced heavy snow and plummeting temperatures. Airports were forced to delay flights, railway lines were shutdown and people had been warned to stay off the road. On December 20, London’s Heathrow Airport was forced to shut down due to the increasing snowfall. Twenty four hours later the snowfall ended and travellers expected to resume their travel. However, further chaos struck as many airlines found that their planes had been frozen to the tarmac preventing any planes from taking off. It took a further day and a half for the authorities to defrost the planes.
Many citizens complained that the underground heating installed by the airport authorities had failed. Despite the high costs in implementing the underground heating officials explained that it would only prevent the planes from freezing to the tarmac. This was the very issue that plagued the airport during those 60 hours. The reliance on technology in these countries has resulted in them not being adequately prepared for such events. The heavy snowfall resulted in many travellers being forced to abandon their plans. Criticism has been levelled at the authorities stating that for an area which experiences yearly snowfall they should have been better prepared.
The ongoing floods in Sri Lanka have seen over a million people affected. Authorities have explained that due to the prevailing weather conditions, the roads have been closed and airlifting supplies is not possible. However, this has not prevented the distribution of aid as locals have taken to using row boats and other methods. Due to the closure of the roads authorities have explained that alternate methods of aid distribution are being followed. Regardless of the outcome, the authorities in Sri Lanka have recognised the need to pursue other methods of aid distribution. Similarly conventional flood prevention techniques have failed. This has seen officials being forced to pursue alternatives in re-enforcing the flooded embankments.
The question that remains is whether or not developed countries are not better prepared for natural disasters or if public opinion expects much more from these countries. Following Hurricane Katrina, the public criticised the government for their apparent slow response. However, it has to be examined whether or not it truly was a slow response or if public expectations were too high. Many people believe that first world countries have the money and technology to prevent natural disasters from affecting them greatly. Although, this has led to a greater reliance on such products. As was seen in the UK when this technology fails, chaos can follow. The community minded efforts seen during the tsunami and the alternate plans implemented during the floods are indicators that third world or developing countries are not helpless without international assistance.