Disaster Risk Mitigation: Disaster Risk Mitigation: The Experience of Sri LankaThe Experience of Sri Lanka

by by

P. Dias Amarasinghe

Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Human

Rights, Sri Lanka

Land AreaLand Area - 65,525 Sq km- 65,525 Sq km

Population Population - 19.6 Million- 19.6 Million

Pop. Density Pop. Density - 309 per km- 309 per km22

Literacy rate Literacy rate - 91.8 %- 91.8 %

Ethnic Mix -Ethnic Mix -

SinhaleseSinhalese - -

74 %74 %

TamilTamil - -

18 %18 %

Muslim Muslim - -

7 % 7 %

OthersOthers - -

1 %1 %

2.96

1.01

0.05

2.07

0.30

0

1

2

3

4

Flood Tsunami Landslide Drought Storms

Millio

ns

Number of people affected by natural disasters in Sri Lanka

1974-2005

• Major natural hazards - floods, droughts, cyclones, landslides Major natural hazards - floods, droughts, cyclones, landslides and coastal erosion. and coastal erosion. • Other localized hazards - lightning strikes, epidemics and Other localized hazards - lightning strikes, epidemics and effects of environmental pollutioneffects of environmental pollution• Human induced hazards - hazards resulting from Human induced hazards - hazards resulting from deforestation, indiscriminate coral, gem and sand miningdeforestation, indiscriminate coral, gem and sand mining• Tsunami Tsunami

Hazard Profile of Sri Lanka:Hazard Profile of Sri Lanka:

FLOODS IN SRI LANKA 103 River basins. 10 rivers are considered as major rivers Kalu,Kelani,Gin,Nilwala,and Mahaweli are major rivers causing floods. Sri Lanka has two monsoons-South West (mid May to September) and North

East (December to February) Floods in Sri Lanka are due to excessive rain fall during monsoons. Highest rainfall recorded is 805mm within 24 hours (1897) Unplanned urbanization, lack of appropriate waste disposal systems and

inadequate maintenance of roads have resulted in storm floods in major cities even during inter-monsoonal rains

Mitigation Measures

Construction of flood protection dams within major river basins ( Kelani, Gin, Nilwala and Kukuleganga). Some of these have been built in the beginning of the 20th Century.

Floods……..Contd.

• Diversion of Major rivers such as River Mahaveli and construction of new reservoirs under such diversions. For example, construction of Kothmale reservoir has mitigated floods in Gampola area

CYCLONES

• Number of major Cyclone storms that reached the coast of Sri Lanka from 1981 is 16

• November-December period (north east monsoon) is recorded as cyclone season in Sri Lanka.

• The average lifetime of Cyclone storms in our region is about 4-5 Days.

Average Rainfall and Variability

1931-1960 and 1961-1990

Season 1931-1960 1961-1990

First Inter-monsoon 300 (31%) 268 (27%)

Southwest monsoon 547 (23%) 556 (16%)

Second Inter-monsoon 567 (21%) 558 (24%)

Northeast monsoon 592 (22%) 479 (42%)

Year 2005 (12%) 1861(14%)

DROUGHT• Every Year somewhere in the Country some people

are faced with droughts of short duration which are only of local significance. Droughts affecting bigger regions (eg. a province) do occur every 3-4 years.

• Severe droughts of national significance occur every 10 years . Severe droughts occurred in 1947-49,1953-56,1965,1974-77,1981-83,1985,1995-96,2000-01. From 1948 as many as 26 droughts have been reported.

• Drought mitigation efforts dates back to Sinhalese kings’ days. Mitigation measures were both structural and non-structural……….(contd.)

Drought……….Contd

• Kings established irrigation schemes both major and minor for water harvesting for cultivation as well as for bathing and other domestic purposes.

• Pre-seasonal cultivation meetings are held with the participation of district/divisional level administrative heads, irrigation specialists and farmers.

• Based on the availability of water decision regarding total extent to be cultivated, crops to be cultivated, when to start cultivation, when to start issue of water, etc. are discussed and agreed upon at these meetings.

• These systems are still in operation.• Rain water harvesting systems are now popular among people for both

upland cultivations and also for domestic purposes.• Diversion of rivers such as River Mahaveli

LAND SLIDES• Badulla, Nuwaraeliya, Rathnapura

Kegalle,Kandy,Matale and Galle districts are prone to Land slides.

• Human settlement and infrastructures threatened by Landslides.

• Reasons for increase – Unplanned intensive cultivation, non engineered construction, deforestation, neglect of land and every increasing human intervention.

• Landslide mitigation work started in 1990 with assistance from UNDP and UNCHS.

COASTAL EROSION

• Sri Lanka has a coastline of 1585Km. 50-55% of the coastline is prone to erosion

• Indiscriminate sand and coral mining, improper sighting or designing of coastal structures have contributed largely to increased erosion levels.

• About 175000-285000 sq. meters of coast line are last each year.

• Mitigation activities commenced in 1986 with the implementation of Coastal Erosion Management Plan of 1986.

Other Measures

• Building guidelines in respect of flood prone areas, areas prone to cyclones and highwinds, and landslides have been developed and are being discussed among professionals before introduced to local authorities.

• Guidelines for protection of buildings and safety from lightning strikes have also been developed.

• Disaster risk mitigation is being mainstreamed by incorporating plans and strategies into the next ten year national plan.

The The Tsunami devastationTsunami devastation resulted in the recognition of the resulted in the recognition of the need for need for comprehensive disaster risk management, comprehensive disaster risk management, rather rather

thanthan post disaster relief post disaster relief oror better response better response

Disaster Management Act. No. Disaster Management Act. No. 13 of 2005 was ratified on 13 13 of 2005 was ratified on 13 May 2005, to provide a legal May 2005, to provide a legal framework for disaster risk framework for disaster risk management in Sri Lanka management in Sri Lanka

National Council for Disaster Management National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM)(NCDM)

Under the Chairmanship of H.E. the PresidentUnder the Chairmanship of H.E. the President

Disaster Management Centre (DMC)Disaster Management Centre (DMC)As the focal institute for disaster managementAs the focal institute for disaster management

Prior to 2005, Sri Lanka had no legal framework for disaster management

Development of hazard zonation maps for vulnerable regions - in progress

City of Galle – (assistance UNU, ISDR)

Balapitiya

Programs to create awareness

School programs

School programs include:School programs include:

• Awareness creation

• Identification of evacuation sites

• Identification of a team of first responders

• Mock Drill

• Disaster management included in school curriculum

• Several universities have also incorporated disaster management into relevant courses.

Awareness Material on Awareness Material on DisastersDisasters

Initiative for Disaster Risk ManagementInitiative for Disaster Risk Management

A framework to identify andA framework to identify andCoordinate multi-stakeholderCoordinate multi-stakeholder

efforts in the next 10 yearsefforts in the next 10 years

a holistic strategya holistic strategy

a Road Mapa Road MapTowards building a safer Sri LankaTowards building a safer Sri Lanka

Initiative for Disaster Risk ManagementInitiative for Disaster Risk Management

Priority projects identified under Priority projects identified under seven thematic areas: seven thematic areas:

1.1. Policy, institutional Policy, institutional mandates and Institutional mandates and Institutional development.development.

2.2. Hazard, Vulnerability and Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

3.3. Tsunami and Multi Hazard Tsunami and Multi Hazard Early Warning SystemEarly Warning System

4.4. Preparedness and Preparedness and Response PlansResponse Plans

5.5. Mitigation and integration Mitigation and integration of DRR into development of DRR into development planningplanning

6.6. Community based Disaster Community based Disaster Risk ManagementRisk Management

7.7. Public Awareness, Public Awareness, Education and TrainingEducation and Training

Government of Sri Lanka Government of Sri Lanka is committed to is committed to

implement the Road Map implement the Road Map proposals. proposals.

Thank youThank you