Their homes are no more their sanctuary:

Salawa: impact on the people

by Carol Aloysius

Sri Lanka's biggest fire in recent years raged on June 5, 2016. On that black Sunday, heavy artillery guns, small arms, and various explosives in the ammunition storage at the Sri Lanka Army Camp at Salawa, Kosgama, went up in flames. The force of the explosions scattered the shattered pieces of leaded metal to surrounding villages as far as five kilometres away, and, with them, shattered the dreams and hopes of residents in the area.

Pix : ANCL Media Library

Rescue work began even as the flames were licking the skies. Thousands of villagers were rushed from their homes and put into makeshift camps for safety.

Yet, in the aftermath , just one week on, those residing in the vicinity are still feeling the terrible impact the fire had on their property, belongings, environment, livelihoods and health. Despite efforts to allay their uncertainties of the future, they live in fear, demanding assurance from the authorities for their safety and, most of all, a promise that such a human-made disaster will not happen again.

It was these uncertainties that fuelled the protest of around 200 villagers who blocked the highway at Salawa Hospital Junction last week, demanding answers and assurances.

Assurances had been given by the Sri Lanka Army of quick relief measures: badly damaged houses to be reconstructed (of the 75 damaged, fifty percent were extensively damaged and beyond repair, according to Army sources), others to be renovated, and, cash compensation to be paid to the victims.

Disturbing images

Other government institutions too have come forward to help. The Water Board Chairman K. Ansar told the Sunday Observer he had immediately dispatched bowsers and water tanks to provide clean water to households. As of Sunday, the Board was resuming piped water services while continuing to provide bowsers for people who needed to go back to their homes, and begin the task of cleaning up the debris .

Disturbing images of people walking barefoot over pieces of shattered glass, wood and scraps of gun powder metal however, have raised concerns among Health Ministry officials.

Issuing a series of advisories to the Salawa residents, Director General of Health Services, Dr P.G. Maheepala, has cautioned them against drinking water from open wells that were exposed to the metal fall-out until they were properly cleaned. He assures the public that water from fully covered wells was safe.

He has also said, those with breathing difficulties or any respiratory disease should immediately seek medical treatment from a nearby government hospital. He said, 25 ambulances had been deployed currently, along with Public Health Inspectors to inspect all affected areas.

Further information relating to the armory explosion and health advice could be obtained by contacting the hotline 0113071073, he said.

Lead poisoning

Meanwhile, senior officials from the National Poisons Information Unit of the General Hospital have expressed concern with regard to what they described as , " very serious potential health impact in the long run of exposure to gun powder lead poisoning".

Speaking on grounds of anonymity, they confirmed that studies had already been done by researchers on harmful impact of lead found in bullets and explosives. "They can contain harmful fumes like ozone sulfur dioxide and metallic compounds that contain carcinogenic and hormone disruption substances . Even if ingested or inhaled in low doses over a long period, it can adversely affect human health", these sources said.

Level of exposure

One substance, nitroglycerine , dilates the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.

Other adverse fall-out included lung irritation, eye infections like conjunctivitis and redness of the eyes, as well as skin irritations and dermatitis.

" However, the level of exposure can vary from person to person . The effects are not the same for everyone", they said.

Pregnant women, foetus also in danger

lead exposure is harmful to the developing foetus, as the lead crosses the placenta and is transmitted from the mother's blood stream directly to the foetus; they said.

"Lead exposure could cause serious, irreversible complications, including spontaneous abortion, premature membrane rupture, preclampsia, pregnancy inducted hypertension and neuro behavioural effects on infants and children. Even at low levels, lead is associated with pre term delivery, congenital abnormalities , decreased birth weight, length and head circumference", they said citing authoritative studies.