OCHA Situation Report
Sri Lanka
30 September - 07 October 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Overall Situation

The Norwegian government provided ILO with Rs. 180 million (US$ 1.8 
million) to speed up the tsunami rehabilitation work in Sri Lanka. 
Norway, in co-operation with ILO, aims to contribute to social and 
economic reconstruction and poverty reduction in tsunami-affected 
communities.  The Income Recovery Technical Assistance Programme (IRTAP) 
will strengthen the Restoring Livelihoods Programme set up by the Task 
Force for Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN).  The Restoring Livelihoods 
Programme's goal is to strengthen coordination and monitoring of 
livelihood recovery in such areas as temporary income transfer schemes, 
cash for work and support to revive and improve economic activities. 
Other partners providing support are the World Bank and UNDP.

Teams from the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition (TEC) are in the country. 
They are meeting a wide variety of actors both in Colombo and in the 
field.

Main challenges and response

Inter monsoon rains have started in some areas. In Batticaloa, the 
upcoming monsoon (expected in 10 days, to last for 2-3 months) will make 
starting permanent building difficult until the New Year. Marking plots 
and surveying land is not possible until land rights and public / 
private land is allocated. UNHCR are advocating that this land must be 
allocated with land titles to beneficiaries, and equally advocating 
equity in distribution. Land must be declared clear by deminers. Another 
challenge to overcome are those targets set by LTTE / GA (e.g. getting 
all permanent housing done by Tamil New Year, 14 Jan) which will further 
frustrate people. Access to camps will be a major issue when unpaved 
roads are made impassable in the rains. A meeting supported by OCHA with 
international agencies will discuss provisional planning arrangements to 
tackle these issues.

Coordination and common services

An Orientation Workshop on the one year report of post tsunami 
operations was attended by all actors on 5 October.  Sectoral teams are 
currently at work producing a first draft for mid October with the final 
report being due mid December.

As part of disaster preparedness and information management the 
Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) in Galle has been working on a map 
to be used for Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation in the form of an 
Evacuation Plan for Galle Town. HIC are working in collaboration with 
the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, and the Department of 
Meteorology of the Government of Sri Lanka. A meeting was held at the 
OCHA/HIC office in Galle this week to share and compare progress in 
developing the maps and collecting the necessary information for a 
useful, informative evacuation plan.

Food security

WFP is planning to distribute 10,967 tons of mixed food commodities to 
some 183,000 beneficiaries under the Food for Work component of EMOP. 
At the end of the month a training of Food Aid Monitors and programme 
assistants from sub offices will take place.

Health

IOM's community health surveillance officer (CHSO) in Trincomalee 
district identified 31 cases of chickenpox at an IOM transitional 
housing site in Kallady.  The CHSO took immediate action by informing 
the Deputy Provincial Director Health Services (DPDHS) and coordinating 
with the regional epidemiologist to discuss the most effective form of 
action.  Once all of the cases were identified, IOM provided health 
staff and 200 vaccinations for use at the site. Additionally, health 
education materials about the disease and preventative measures were 
distributed.

Under the Mother and Child Nutrition Programme, WFP is planning to 
distribute 1,332 tons of CSB.  In Kilinochchi senior officials from the 
Ministry of Agriculture have been undergoing HIV/AIDS sensitization 
sessions in an effort to educate farming communities on HIV/AIDS.

Water and sanitation

The tsunami train wreckage in Peraliya in the south is sitting in the 
middle of a main drainage channel and is affecting drainage in Peraliya, 
Hikkaduwa. The plan to move the tsunami wrecked train carriages has been 
in progress for many months.

In Galle, both sides of the railway line are prone to severe flooding in 
areas where the ground dips. Hence a large organization working on a 
long-term basis is needed to undertake drainage management of the 
railway track throughout Galle. Communication and public information is 
a key factor in preventing drainage problems and waste disposal 
education and management is still needed.

Italian NGO, Alisei, is currently working in Talapitiya village (Galle 
Four Gravets) working with 20 locals to build and rebuild drains, also 
in collaboration with the Water Board to connect 150 families to the 
main water line.

Non-food items and shelter

In Galle, 208 houses have been built with donor assistance.  Only 80 
houses have been handed over due to incomplete infrastructure in the 
surrounding areas. As soon as the areas are ready, the houses will be 
handed over immediately. Latest figures issued by THRU (Tsunami Housing 
Reconstruction Unit) for Galle on 26 September indicated that out of 
5,226 houses damaged within the buffer zone 5,038 need repair. The 
Damage Assessment Team (DAT) has approved approximately 6,800 houses as 
eligible to receive the government compensation grant of either Rs. 
100,000 or Rs. 200,000. TAFREN's (SWHRU) South West Housing 
Reconstruction Unit is developing a database of all DAT assessed houses.

Education

School feeding activity is ongoing and 102,000 primary school students 
receive mid morning school meals every day.  Under the Food for 
Education programme WFP is planning to distribute 841 tons of food 
commodities.

Livelihoods

FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and utilizing 
Italian Civil Protection Department funds distributed paddy, vegetable 
seed, fertilizer and fruit trees to around 2,000 tsunami-affected 
farmers in Hambantota, Matara and Galle this week. This second FAO 
distribution programme in the south coincides with the upcoming Maha 
planting season.

With funds from Japan and Belgium, FAO distributed more than 2,600 
fishing nets and 90 boat engines to 248 tsunami-affected fishers in 
Batticaloa district last week. Another FAO project funded by the Italian 
Civil Protection Department entitled 'Emergency assistance for the 
rehabilitation of fisher folk communities in the tsunami-affected 
districts of Trincomalee, Matara, Galle and Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The 
focus of FAO's Italian Civil Protection funded project is to assist 
tsunami - affected coastal communities return to normal. The project is 
providing some 3,650 fishing kits, 60 inboard engines, improving the 
design of small multi-day boats and it has already repaired close to 400 
boats. Approximately 2,100 beneficiaries are receiving agriculture 
inputs to ensure that tsunami - affected farmers recommence the planting 
of their paddy, vegetable gardens, orchards and take up their livestock 
breeding again.

The Italian NGO Alisei is working with 20 Sri Lankans building and 
repairing drains in Talapitiya in Galle Four Gravets while collaborating 
with the Water Board to connect 150 tsunami-affected families to the 
main water supply line. In Talapitiya, Galle Four Gravets Division, 
Kosgoda and Balapitiya Division the Italian NGOs Acra, COOPI and COSV 
are working on the project "Give them hope". The focus is on 
rehabilitating and constructing community centers to provide vocational 
training to youth in hotel management, computer skills, English language 
and create income generating activities specifically aimed at women and 
vulnerable groups.

The TAFREN/ILO Income Recovery Programme in Galle have completed two 
divisional village plans for Bentota and Ambalangoda. The Village plan 
identified a need for Cash for Work activities for infrastructure 
improvements on road repairs, irrigation repairs, well rehabilitation 
and reforestation of the green belt as well as micro businesses and the 
cottage industry. The Village plan also includes the fisheries and 
agriculture sector and general employment needs in the tourism and 
garment industry and private sector.

In Killinochchi Caritas distributed 187 boats and 75 out board motors to 
tsunami-affected fisherman in Vadamarachci East. A number of agencies 
have reported that more boats than those reported missing in the tsunami 
have been given out.

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