Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO106
2005-01-13 10:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

MALDIVES - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: USAID/DART

Tags:  EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE MV 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 COLOMBO 000106 

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA
TSUNAMI RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM

SIPDIS
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS
DCHA BUREAU FOR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ROGER WINTER
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER
GENEVA FOR USAID KYLOH
ROME PASS FODAG
NSC FOR MELINE
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD
USEU PASS USEC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: USAID/DART
SITREP #1

-------
SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 COLOMBO 000106

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA
TSUNAMI RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM

SIPDIS
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS
DCHA BUREAU FOR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ROGER WINTER
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER
GENEVA FOR USAID KYLOH
ROME PASS FODAG
NSC FOR MELINE
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD
USEU PASS USEC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: USAID/DART
SITREP #1

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. According to the Maldives National Disaster Management
Center (NDMC),as of January 12, the earthquake and tsunamis
killed 82 people and 26 residents are missing in Maldives.
On January 10, four USAID/Disaster Assistance Response Team
(DART) members conducted an assessment trip to Maldives. A
USAID/DART Field Officer (FO) is posted to Maldives to
assist with the coordination of relief supplies. The top
needs of the Government of the Republic of Maldives (GORM)
include water, cleanup of debris, and assistance with
logistics/transportation. The U.S. Military will provide
potable water and logistical assistance to two atolls in the
southern Maldives. End summary.

--------------
Death Tolls
--------------


2. According to the NDMC, as of January 12, the earthquake
and tsunamis killed 82 people and 26 residents are missing.
The earthquake and tsunamis also damaged an estimated 3,997
buildings.

--------------
Current Situation and Needs
--------------


3. On January 10, two USAID/DART FOs, a Water and
Sanitation Officer (WSO),and a Military Liaison Officer
(MLO) traveled to Male' in Maldives. One of the USAID/DART
FOs is posted to Male' to coordinate activities with the
U.S. Military, the U.N., and the GORM, as well as monitor
USAID grants in Maldives. The USAID/DART is coordinating
closely with the U.S. Military to ensure the rapid transport
of emergency relief supplies.


4. During this trip, the USAID/DART met with
representatives of the Maldivian National Security Service

(NSS),AirServ (an OFDA-funded aviation company),and the
U.S. Military. The NSS has been coordinating relief
efforts, and they emphasized the difficulties encountered
moving these supplies from the Male' airport to atoll,
(island cluster) to islands within the atoll, and finally to
affected people in the islands. The NSS stated that
volunteers who were coming to central points to receive
relief supplies for distribution are no longer coming
because they are now getting back to their own lives. As a
result, internally displaced persons (IDPs) are now waiting
for the GORM to deliver goods to them.


5. According to the NSS, the GORM has identified the three
top needs as water, cleanup of debris, and assistance with
logistics/transportation, in order of priority. The GORM
has adequate relief supplies but has faced hurdles moving
these supplies to islands. One of the problems facing the
GORM is that much of the equipment/boats etc. that the GORM
had been using in the relief effort was volunteered by
residents, and now owners of this equipment wish to use
their equipment and return to daily life.


6. The NSS expressed a need for equipment, such as
bulldozers, backhoes, and excavators etc. to move debris.
The U.S. Military stated that they do not have access to
such equipment but may be able to assist with transport if
equipment is available. [Note. New York City authorities
have stated that they can loan this type of equipment to
Maldives; however the USAID/DART is awaiting further
information on this offer. End Note.] Mid-sized
vehicles/equipment are the best option, but there are not
enough available. The NSS also reported that additional
landing craft are needed to gain access to the islands to
provide transport of relief supplies. (Note: The GDRM has
admitted it has not yet addressed the issue of what to do
with all the debris once it is cleared.)


7. The NSS stated that it needs assistance to transport
goods from the main airport in Male to the seven forward
coordination centers (FCCs) that have been established as
regional hubs for the storage and transportation of relief
supplies. Three of the islands have airstrips and all
locations have warehousing capability. These FCCs will
serve Thaa, Meemu, Dhaalu, Raa, and Noonu atolls in the
southern Maldives, where most of the damage occurred. The
GORM currently has 400 metric tons (MT) of supplies,
including 100 MT of protein biscuits from the U.N. World
Food Program (WFP) that they are trying to transport to the
islands.


8. The USAID/DART also met with representatives from the
U.N. Development Program (UNDP) and the U.N. Disaster
Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team. The UNDAC
representative stated that transportation needs are urgent
in Maldives. The UNDAC representative emphasized the need
for excavation equipment, shelter supplies, hygiene kits,
and cooking kits. At present, there are approximately six
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Maldives,
with many small local NGOs present (representing fishermens'
and womens' interests).


9. The Indian and Pakistani militaries have been assisting
in the relief efforts in Maldives. According to the
USAID/DART, the British and French militaries also have
humanitarian missions in the Maldives. The French troops
are focusing upon relief efforts in northern Maldives, and
the British troops are concentrating on repair of electrical
equipment, such as generators, and other electricity
generation capacity analysis and repair.

--------------
Water and Sanitation
--------------


10. According to the USAID/DART, water remains a critical
concern in Maldives. The U.S. Military will use at least
one Marine pre-positioning vessel to provide potable water
to Maldives. On this vessel, water can be produced at a
rate of 25,000 gallons per day, and 70,000 gallons can be
stored on the vessel. Floating lines can discharge water up
to two miles away. This water can be pumped to bladders on
barges, such as the four being provided by the U.S.
Military, which can then take the water into more shallow
ports where water can be stored in community storage tanks
and smaller family-sized tanks (1,000 to 3,000 liters). The
vessel is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on/around January
12 and should arrive in Maldives early during the week of
the January 16. Reverse osmosis water purification units
(ROWPUs) are available and may be used. The U.S. Military
can also provide ferrying service for earth/debris moving
equipment and relief supplies.


11. The U.S. Military will focus its efforts on providing
water in Laamu (Haddumati Atoll) and Dhaalu (Nilandu Atoll
South) in the southern Maldives. The population of Laamu
Atoll is 11,318 people, and the earthquake and tsunamis
killed 22 people, and 3 residents are still missing. Two-
hundred and eighty five buildings were damaged. The
population of Dhaalu Atoll is 4,939, and the earthquake and
tsunamis killed 9 residents, and 4 people are missing. A

SIPDIS
total of 172 buildings were damaged.


12. During this trip the USAID/DART WSO met with the
Minister of Health (MOH) and the Assistant Director of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The USAID/WSO reported that
needs include additional water trucks to deliver water,
purification of wells, and the emptying of septic tanks.
Water needs will be met for three months on Laamu and Dhallu
Atolls, where the U.S. Military is assisting with the
filling of available water storage tanks. Catchment systems
are in need of rehabilitation/replacement, but this activity
is dependent on the construction of shelters. Since 99
percent of the potable water in Maldives was in catchment
systems, the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the GORM are
purchasing additional tanks. The German NGO Technisches
Hilfswerk (THW) is currently operating in Maldives and
assisting with well-cleaning.


13. According to the USAID/DART FO in Maldives, 12 islands
have less than one week's supply of water remaining, and
UNICEF is bringing in 18 ROWPUs that are due in two to three
weeks.


14. The USAID/DART reports that the NDMC was established on
December 26 and appears to be well-organized and operated.
The NDMC maintains statistics on the amounts of water
delivered to each location in Maldives.

--------------
Health
--------------


15. According to the USAID/DART, a communicable disease
surveillance system exists in Maldives, but does not contain
emergency aspects of disease surveillance. The health
sector has a disaster preparedness plan, but does not
address disasters of this magnitude. According to the
USAID/DART, daily reporting of communicable diseases is
required, including cases of diarrhea. The USAID/DART WSO
will explore funding options for the U.N. Appeal request to
cover surveillance system enhancement.


16. According to the USAID/DART FO in Maldives, the MOH has
prepared a list of health centers requiring repairs, and
UNICEF is working with the MOH to provide psycho-social
counseling.

--------------
Shelter
--------------


17. The USAID/DART FO in Maldives reported that an
assessment of permanent housing requirements is underway,
but damage assessments are slow and better repair guidelines
are necessary. The GORM has discussed the use of temporary
shelters, and the construction of 40-room shelters to house
20 families, using materials available in Maldives. The
GORM is working on these temporary shelters that are
designed to last 12-18 months, will have 2-foot high sand
foundations, brick and plywood walls, and corrugated iron
roofs. These shelters will be built in 40 room blocks, with
each room constructed to accommodate 4 people. The GORM has
planned 86 temporary housing blocks throughout the country,
and construction has started on 39 housing blocks.


18. The USAID/DART FO in Maldives noted that there are no
clear parameters for distinguishing salvageable homes from
those homes that must be destroyed. The GORM has proposed
to construct 2,000 new houses for those residents affected
by the tsunami. These homes will be 71 square meters in
area, and will cost approximately USD 11,000 to construct.

--------------
Restoration of Other Services
--------------


19. According to the USAID/DART FO stationed in Maldives,
all but five islands have electricity services, and the Red
Cross will provide an additional generator which will arrive
by the end of the week of January 10. In addition, all
mobile phone services are operational, and landlines are
functional on all but two islands.

LUNSTEAD