Sri Lanka Monsoon Flood 2011 Report

Sri Lanka • Monsoon Flood Update

Situation Report 02 Date: 10 January 2011 – Colombo

I. 

HIGHLIGHTS / KEY PRIORITIES Rains continue in many parts of the island, causing floods, land and rock slides. According to the Disaster Management 1 Centre (DMC) and local authorities, as of 11 January, a total of 863,773 persons (228,078 families) have been affected , with 13 deaths, one missing and 44 injured. A total of 127,598 persons (33,330 families) are displaced in 351 temporary relocation centers in eight districts. Batticaloa reported the highest number of IDPs (58,524 /15,368 families) housed in 146 temporary relocation centers.



The Department of Meteorology reports that heavy rains and winds will continue for the next 48 hours across the North, North Central, Uva, Eastern Provinces and Hambantota District.



Rapid assessments are underway to determine the extent and location of damages. Inter‐agency missions lead by the DMC and local authorities will identify immediate relief needs. Missions continue to experience constraints due to poor access on flood‐affected roads.



On 10 January, the Hon. Minister and Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management (MDM) visited Ampara District.

The ministerial delegation proceeded to Batticaloa on 11 January.

II.

Situation Overview

Continuous rains since 26 December 2010 have caused floods, land and rock/mud slides and displacement, mainly in the eastern and central parts of the island (see attached map). In Batticaloa District alone, the Meteorological Department reported 168.8 mm of rainfall from 10 January 0600 hrs – 11 January 0830 hrs. On 11 January, 45.5 mm of rainfall was recorded between 0600 – 1130 hrs.

Recent days have registered the highest rainfall in the district in 100 years.

The total number of persons affected stands at 863,773 including 13 deaths, one missing and 44 injured as at 11 January – 1200 hrs, an increase of half a million people since 6 January. Due to the rapidly changing situation, this report includes information available at the time of reporting.

Affected population due to heavy rains from 26 December 2010 to 11 January 2011

DMC statistics indicate that the majority of flood‐affected persons in the island are from the Eastern Provinces. The three districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee amounts to 846,733 persons i.e. 98% of the total affected.

1

The population affected can be defined as an overall population in a flood affected Grama Niladhari Division (GND) of a District that may be unable to carry out their day to day activities due to the prevailing situation.

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

The seven districts with the highest number of persons affected and displaced due to floods District Affected Displaced Families Persons Families Persons Batticaloa 127,882 482,323 15,368 58,524 Ampara 88,376 336,470 7,813 28,744 Trincomalee 7,559 27,940 7,323 27,478 Polonnaruwa 1,407 6,388 2,415 11,011 Anuradhapura 1,805 6,889 14 49 Matale 182 776 131 560 Kandy 573 2,196 232 1,027 TOTAL 227,784 862,982 33,296 127,393

IDP camps / locations 146 49 73 59 6 6 10 349

Continuous rains since last week have affected a total of 5,394 families (21,019 individuals) in Vavuniya DS division. A total of 544 houses and 2,969 acres of paddy cultivation is damaged. No details are available as yet on the 923 families affected by floods in Vavuniya North DS division. In Vavuniya South, 1,311 houses and 1,917 acres of paddy cultivation is damaged. Information in Cheddikulam DS division is not yet received.

In Ampara District, an additional 27,000 people who are displaced are staying in host families (Note: Partners report that this figure is not representated in the DMC flood statistics matrix).

A total of 1,181 houses are damaged in the district though the extent of destruction is not clear.

Two hundred small and medium tanks (reservoirs) in Batticaloa are completely breached and washed away. Most other tanks are spilling over. Due to bad weather, all schools in the affected areas will remain closed throughout the first week of the new school term, also as most of the displaced are accommodated at these sites.

The torrential rains have caused main roads to be submerged, hence not motorable, reducing access to affected areas (see map in annex). Additionally, heavy rains also resulted in the intermittent opening of sluice gates of twelve tanks, as of 11 January 2011.

Sluice gates of the following reservoirs were opened to diminish the water level District Tanks (reservoirs) Anuradhapura Rajanganaya, Kalawewa, and Padaviya Polonnaruwa Parakrama Samudraya, Kawudulu Oya, Girithale, Minneriya Kandy Victoria, Randenigala, Rantambe Kurunegala Inginimitiya Nuwara Eliya Kotmale Ampara Maduru Oya Moneragala Weharagala

The Department of Meteorology reports that heavy rains and winds will continue for the next 48 hours across the North, North Central, Uva, Eastern Provinces and Hambantota District. The National Building Research Organization has declared a 24‐hours landslide threat period in the Kandy, Matale, Badulla and Nuwara Eliya Districts. A Central Province Disaster Management Unit has been set up to provide relief to those affected by landslides.

III. Assessments

The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society has conducted several initial area assessments during the past 24 hours in Batticaloa, Ampara, Trincomalee, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy Districts. The assessment reports are due to be shared with partners. Preliminary findings identified NFIs, dry rations and drinking water needs for 23,000 families.

On 11 January, a needs assessment is being carried out under the leadership of DMC with the support of the UN across all affected districts in the East, North and Central Provinces. More information about the situation and current needs will be available in the next few days.

In Ampara District, IOM is supporting the GA‐led coordination effort and has conducted spot assessments at several locations the last few days. Agencies have prioritized immediate relief assistance to the most‐affected DSs in the district.

The Organization for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OfERR) has conducted assessments in Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts.

WHO had conducted individual assessments, particularly in the East and will share the findings shortly.

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

2

IV. Humanitarian Needs and Response

Search and Rescue: Rescue operations are being carried with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the most flood‐affected areas. The SLAF reported that during the past two days, over 50 persons have been airlifted to safety in Ampara and Batticaloa districts and operations are continuing. Further search and rescue operations are being conducted by the Police force in the Kandy district due to land and rock slides.

Food: Local authorities have been providing cooked meals to displaced persons in relocation centers of all the affected districts.

SLAF has been airlifting dry rations to various locations in the Ampara and the Batticaloa districts for distribution with the assistance of the SLA. Delivering cooked meals is preferred at this stage of the flood response as firewood is not dry and therefore unsuitable fuel, additionally, kitchen space is limited. In Ampara District, the GA is providing cooked meals to the displaced.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has reallocated funds to support government efforts and will providing 735MT of emergency food assistance to approximately 400,000 flood‐affected persons (for a four‐day ration only), for a total of LKR 55 million (US$ 500,000). Initial distributions of 105MT started on 3 January for nearly 75,000 people for four days and the operation will feed the remaining caseload through ongoing distributions in the coming week. The distribution of food is being coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development, MDM and the respective Government agents. Logistics is challenging as roads remain inaccessible. CARE is working on distributing dry rations in Batticaloa and Ampara. Arch Nova reports that cooking for the displaced for wet feeding will remain an issue due to the lack of adequate space in camps.

Agencies are advised to purchase items locally in flood‐affected districts, as prices of items have not yet shot up, to minimize logistical difficulties.

NFI/ Shelter: In Menik Farm IDP camp Vavuniya District, persons in Zone 1 and 0 have complained to authorities about leaking shelters due to the heavy raining. In zone 1, the surrounding areas of block of N, F, T and Q have been flooded and if rains continue, these areas too are likely to be flooded. Many internal roads have been damaged due to continuing rains and access to heavy vehicles such as water bowers, collection of firewood is an issue.

Save the Children in Sri Lanka (SCiSL) is in the process of kick starting its response to the flood emergency in the Eastern Province.

They will deliver NFI items from their warehouse in Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Vavuniya. SCiSL is working on proposals to seek funding from donors to continue to support the flood‐affected families and their children on a larger scale. Arch Nova has stocks of cooking utensils that is logistically easier to be moved to the East if the support is needed. Oxfam has been distributing NFIs, reaching mainly those accessible by road. More information is sought on how to support assessments.

Health: The Ministry of Health has sent five medical teams to the East and Polonnaruwa to control a possible outbreak of epidemics and is conducting mobile medical clinics in IDP sites. WHO will bear the operational cost of conducting the mobile medical clinics.

MSF ‐ France is working with the Ministry of Health in Batticaloa and Ampara on health related needs.

WASH: Open dug wells, especially in Batticaloa will need rehabilitation in the medium term due to contamination of water as most of the wells have been flooded. UNICEF had delivered water tanks and taps to the East since the initial floods in December 2010 and is supporting further assessments.

Agriculture: On 10 January, the Agrarian Ministry said that 132,000 acres of paddy cultivation has been destroyed in the east and north central provinces. Assistant Commissioner of Agrarian Services reported that flood waters had damaged nearly 27,000 acres of paddy land in Batticaloa District. FAO estimates that 50 per cent of the Maha paddy cultivation could be completely lost with obvious consequences for the food security of the area. Early planting for the upcoming Yala will not be possible if tanks are breached.

Logistics: UNOPS will support ongoing flood relief activities in the East by providing de‐stilting equipment and supporting local assessments. World Vision reported that Hinguranketha could be an area agencies can bring stocks to for the military to air lift to areas inaccessible by road. WFP will support the DMC to coordinate logistics efforts.

V. Coordination

The DMC forwarded an initial list of requirements identified by the District Secretaries, however a revision of the list will be done according to the evolving situation and results from the ongoing assessments.

On 10 January 2011, the Minister of Disaster Management, Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera chaired a meeting with government officials and agencies in the Ampara district. The Minister informed that the government estimates approximately LKR 2 billion (US$ 18 The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

3

million) worth of damages to paddy cultivation in the district. The government plans to provide LKR 20,000 (US$ 180) to farmers without insurance who have lost their crops. The Ministry has further provided the District Secretary with four tractors and earth moving equipment to carry out operations in the district. On 11 January, the Minister and Secretary of Disaster Management proceeded to Batticaloa District.

VI. Funding/ Appeals

Between 09 and 10 January, MDM has released Sri LKR 40.42 million (US$ 365,000) to local authorities for relief assistance. This is in addition to approximately LKR 27 million (US$ 244,000) released between 11 December and 06 January 2011.

The UNDP, in consultation with the government, has authorized US$ 10,000 to supplement where there is no budgetary allocation within the MDM and DMC in order to respond to immediate needs of affected people.

UNDP have deployed staff to support government coordination efforts in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. Further support has been provided with the dispatch of three water pumps to Batticaloa along with human resources and funds. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) is mobilizing internal resources for the response (US$ 103,000/CHF 100,000). OfERR is due to receive US$ 45,000 from Danish Church Aid to assist the flood‐affected in Batticaloa and Trincomalee.

On 10 January, the Government officially contacted the United Nations to assist in providing relief assistance to the flood‐affected.

On 11 January, the Government appealed for public assistance to help flood victims and requests for milk food, mattresses, bed sheets and bottled water, etc.

Funds and resources are dangerously low and the UN Country Team in Sri Lanka is discussing the possibility to launch an appeal to support Government efforts to help flood‐affected districts.

Colombo:

Ms Barbara Manzi Head of Office manzi@un.org Tel: +94 011 2504 434/5; Fax: +94 011 4528 690 New York: Geneva:

Mr. Anvar Munavvarov Mr. Masaki Watabe Humanitarian Affairs Officer Humanitarian Affairs Officer – Asia and the Pacific Section munavvarov@un.org watabem@un.org Tel: +1 917 367 2832 Tel: +41 22 917 2732 For more information, please visit: www.hpsl.lk | http://ochaline.un.org/srilanka

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

4

Â

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.

Â

The mission of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.