National Disaster Management Centre provided relief assistance to over 75,000 families:

Round-the-clock monitoring to assist flood victims

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

By prior appointment I walked into the office of the Director of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) last week to inquire into the relief measures provided to those affected by the recent inter monsoonal floods and landslides that caused havoc and brought about misery to thousands of hapless people living in different parts of the country.

Thousands of families were rendered homeless due to incessant rain which lasted for nearly a fortnight. The downpour still continues in some parts of the country. There was pin drop silence inside the centre with officers glued to their computers monitoring the flood situation for possible assistance.

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) is located close to the Kollupitiya junction on Galle Road near the Kollupitita Police station. NDMC is one of the state apex bodies that co-ordinates relief measures for victims affected by major catastrophes like floods and drought.

The recent floods and landslides in Gampaha, Kalutara and Matugama caused destruction to property and loss of several human lives. The NDMC is headed by it's Director, Nimal Hettiarachchi, a senior officer from the Sri Lankan Administrative Service.(SLAS)

Director Hettiarchchi said the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) is providing assistance to families marooned by the recent heavy inter-monsoonal rain. About 75,000 families affected by floods have been provided with relief assistance like dry rations. Steps are being taken to rehabilitate families and reconstruct their dwellings.

NDMC has disbursed Rs 25 million as relief assistance to those affected by recent floods. Meanwhile, 26 deaths have been reported by the District and Divisional Secretariats in the country. The centre has provided compensation for those who lost their lives to cover expenses etc.

Ten deaths have been reported from the Gampaha district. Altogether, 475 houses scattered across the country have been damaged. A sum of Rs 20,000 is paid to families who have lost their dwellings.

Diverse relief assistance

The centre will also provide assistance to clean canals in the Gampaha and the Colombo districts to recede flood waters. "Even families affected by the Mavilaru episode have been compensated through the Divisional Secretariat. They have been provided with tents, clothes and other requirements," he said.

In fact the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has come a long way from its inception. An action plan for provincial districts most prone to floods and landslides has been prepared. It was based on the experience gained from the floods of 2002, which caused irreparable damage to areas.

"Now we have prepared an action plan to help flood victims in areas like Ratnapura, Kalutara, Hambantota, Matara and Galle in the event of a major flood in these areas." Hettiarchchai said.

The Centre has now developed a disaster information system called a DESK INVENTOR which had been fed with all disasters that had affected Sri Lanka from 1974. "It is a user friendly system. At a push of a button information relating to any disaster in Sri Lanka is down loaded. We have the mechanism to collect data in respect of any natural disaster from 324 Divisional Secretariat Divisions."

Meanwhile NDMC has issued instructions to all Divisional Secretariat Divisions to submit a report every month relating to any natural disaster. The information is then fed to the NDMC's web site, (NDMCWWW.lk.) provided by the UNDP.

Hettiarchchi said that they have conducted a disaster mitigation programme in the North Central province on rain water harvesting. Quite recently the Chinese government donated sprinkler irrigation systems to Sri Lanka to reduce drought conditions in areas affected by prolonged drought during the year. "We are now conducting projects at Ridimaliyadde and at Padavi- Sripura to provide portable drinking water to families living in these areas.

These inhabitants undergo tremendous difficulties due to non availability of drinking water." Ridimaliyadde which comes under the Badulla district is the poorest Divisional Secretariat in the country. "We have allocated money to construct fifty rain water tanks in these areas.

For nearly ten months these areas haven't had rain causing untold sufferings to people. We harvest rain water for the purpose of providing portable drinking water to people, he said.

Multi disciplinary subject

However Hettiarachchi, voiced concern about how disaster management was handled in the country. He said disaster management was not merely providing relief assistance or engaging in rehabilitation work when a disaster occurs. It is a multi disciplinary subject like science or social science.

While providing relief measures one has to also study pre disaster preparedness, mitigation and prevention. Developed nations collect such data to minimise disasters.

The earthquake which claimed more than 6,400 lives in Kobe Japan and demolished the entire city was rebuiltin a period of two years. There can be development even in areas affected by the Tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka, if properly handled. Disasters in the long run can lead to development with the participation of several non governmental organisations, (NGO'S) and the government.

There has to be a political will to handle disaster situations but most developing countries do not pay much heed to it.

It is interesting to know how the National Disaster Management Centre was formed. Prior to the devastating cyclone that hit the Eastern province, in 1978, the government set up a cabinet sub committee to review the disaster situation in Sri Lanka.

The purpose was to examine the country's disaster management plan and to upgrade it by inviting fresh ideas and new proposals. In 1992 the government's sub committee after studying new suggestions proposed to the government to set up a National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) and to prepare a National Disaster Management Plan.

Thereafter the proposals were submitted to parliament and finally an act No 13 titled the National Disaster Management Act was passed in parliament in May 2005.

In 1996 the government set up the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) at the Ministry of Social Services at Sethsiripaya Battermulla.

During this period rehabilitation and relief work was handled by the social Service Department. NDMC is entrusted with the task of formulating pre- disaster activities such as disaster preparedness, mitigation and methods of prevention. Of the total area of the country one third fall under the dry zone areas like Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mulaitiv, Jaffna.

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