Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO156
2005-01-20 10:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

SRI LANKA - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS:

Tags:  EAID AEMR PREL PGOV CE 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000156 

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, 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
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS:
USAID/DART SITREP #8

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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000156

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, 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
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS:
USAID/DART SITREP #8

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


1. As of January 18, according to the Center for
National Operations (CNO),the earthquake and tsunamis
had killed 30,922 people in Sri Lanka. The U.S.
Military hopes to transition water distribution duties
in Galle to the Galle Water Board by January 25. The
U.S. Military continues to work on school debris
cleaning in Galle and plans to complete the cleaning
by January 25. Several donors are planning a
verification trip to Trincomalee in early February

2005. Between January 4 and January 18, the U.S.
Military completed or initiated 73 requests for
assistance. The USAID/DART Water and Sanitation
Officer (WSO) reported that sanitation is a priority
need. End summary.

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


2. The CNO, which is responsible for the overall
coordination of the relief effort in Sri Lanka,
reports that as of January 18 at 1630 hours local
time, the earthquake and tsunamis had killed 30,922
people, injured 15,196 residents, displaced 437,482
persons, completely damaged 78,126 houses, and
partially damaged 40,841 houses. Currently there are
5,565 persons missing. According to the CNO, there
are 370 camps housing displaced persons. On January
17, the General and Public Security Ministry (GPSM)
reported that the death toll was 30,925; however, the
USAID/Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has
confirmed that the GPSM was double-counting deaths.

-------------- --------------
Catholic Relief Services - Activities in Batticaloa
District
-------------- --------------



3. According to the USAID/DART, USAID/Office of U.S.
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) implementing
partner Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has contributed
to the development of the temporary shelter strategy
that is being submitted for ratification to the
Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) by the U.N. High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The model
temporary shelter unit constructed by CRS at their
office in Colombo has been used by UNHCR, in
demonstrations to the GOSL, to illustrate the proposed
provision of 20 square meter framed units.


4. In Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka, CRS has
erected temporary shelter units as well as short-term
emergency shelters. The demonstration unit adjacent
to the CRS partner office utilizes a timber frame plus
several different types of roofing materials,
including metal sheeting, corrugated weatherized
tarpaper, and clay tiles. The sidewall enclosure uses
cajan or woven coconut leaf matting. A similar unit
with a clay tiled roof and cajan matting has been
erected on the first relocation site in the division
of Aryanpaty, an urban infill site. The District
Superintendent and the District technical team have
inspected and approved this model.


5. To date, the local authorities have identified 14
sites for use as possible transit locations, and CRS
has been undertaking site visits to assess their
suitability and to begin site surveys and preliminary
site planning. Local procurement is underway for the
first tranche of materials, to ensure rapid delivery
of the supplies (avoiding the need for intermediate
warehousing) and to enable localized quality control.


6. In Ampara, CRS has erected demonstration units and
is focusing on divisions in the northern part of
Ampara District. Coordination among shelter agencies
in Ampara is not as advanced as in Batticaloa, but
according to CRS, shelter coordination meetings in the
next few days should provide greater clarity for
temporary shelter activities. The CRS team has been
working with the local authorities to identify smaller
areas of land within the unrestricted urban zone to
enable relocation activities to start on a small scale
at least. CRS has established a warehouse and started
the localized procurement of materials for the first
100 units.

--------------
Situation in Galle
--------------


7. According to the USAID/DART Logistics Officer (LO)
located in Galle, the Galle Water Board stated that it
has the capacity to produce 18,000 cubic meters of
clean drinking water per day, but it does not have the
ability to transport the water to all necessary
locations. However, the Maltese Order will provide
four water trucks that can hold a capacity of 4.5
cubic meters each to the Galle Water Board, and this
should fill the transportation need. These trucks
will also be able to pump water. Until the water
trucks arrive, the Galle Water Board plans to use
portable water bladders in the back of trucks.
According to the USAID/DART LO, the first water truck
donated by the Maltese Order will arrive on January 19
and will be operational on January 20. The remaining
three trucks will arrive in two to three day
increments.


8. The U.S. Military continues water distributions in
Hikkaduwa but hopes to be able to transition these
duties to the Galle Water Board by January 25. The
USAID/DART LO reported that the Galle Water Board is
currently reviewing plans to take over water
distribution, but anticipates that they may not be
able to fill all water needs. For example, the
USAID/DART LO stated that the Government of Sri Lanka
(GOSL) plans to move those residents that reside
within 100 meters of the coastline to temporary
shelters. The GOSL is trying to find land to build
between 5,000 and 6,000 temporary shelters, and the
Galle Water Board does not believe that it will be
able to meet the demand for water for those internally
displaced persons (IDPs) who will be located in these
temporary shelters. [Note: The USAID/DART LO stated
that the U.S. Military hopes to obtain a firm date for
the transition of water distribution services to the
Galle Water Board within 24 hours. End Note.]


9. The USAID/DART LO reported that water testing has
occurred at wells in schools; however the water has
been deemed acceptable for washing but not for
drinking. If well-cleaning and chlorination occurs,
the water will be acceptable for drinking. The
Austrian Military will be responsible for cleaning
some of these wells.


10. CHF International plans to construct one
prototype semi-permanent shelter in an internally
displaced person (IDP) center on January 18 or 19.
[Note: The USAID/DART LO will follow-up and attempt to
obtain further information and pictures of the
construction of these shelters and materials used.
End Note.]


11. The U.S. Military will continue to conduct school
debris clearing and plans to complete the clearing by
January 25. On January 19, a coordinated effort to
construct temporary latrines at schools began within
Galle District. The U.S. Military, with materials
provided by the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and
World Vision, will construct the foundations. A total
of 40 latrines (each latrine includes one male and one
female unit) will be constructed for a total of 80
toilets.


12. According to the USAID/DART LO, the Deputy
Provincial Directors of Health Services (DPDHS) office
in Galle will conduct water quality investigations in
Galle District. Public Health Inspectors for Galle
District will conduct chlorination and microbiological
investigations at the distribution and storage levels.
The Austrian Military is responsible for well
chlorination in Galle and Habaraduwa, and Technicsches
Hilfswerk (THW) will conduct well chlorination in
Galle and Hikkaduwa.


13. As of January 18, there are 48 IDP centers within
Galle District, housing 6,092 people.

--------------
Donor Coordination
--------------


14. On January 18, the USAID/DART attended the weekly
bi-lateral donors meeting hosted by the United
Kingdom's Department for International Development
(DFID). Attendees included representatives from the
United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, the European Union,
New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Holland,
Belgium, France, Canada, and Japan. Meeting
participants discussed an upcoming verification trip
by several bilateral donors, coordination with the
U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs' (OCHA) recently arrived Humanitarian
Information Center (HIC),and bilateral input into the
ongoing international financial institutions (IFI)
sector assessments.


15. Several donors including the United Kingdom,
Belgium, Holland, and Norway plan to undertake a
verification trip to Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka
in early February 2005 in order to assess issues such
as equity in the distribution of relief supplies,
unmet needs and other information related to bilateral
planning. Regarding coordination, responsibility for
the bilateral donor spreadsheet (now being maintained
by the Australians) will transfer to the HIC.
Finally, the group discussed bilateral input for the
IFI sector assessments that are now underway.
According to the USAID/DART, the group is concerned
that the IFIs are anxious to complete sector
assessments and in their haste may pay less attention
to such concerns as the peace process,
decentralization, transparency, and governance in
developing response programs.

--------------
Coordination with the U.S. Military
--------------


16. According to the USAID/DART LO posted to the CNO,
the U.S. Military will transport 10 metric tons (MT)
of produce to Jaffna on January 19 for camp residents
in Jaffna. On January 20, the U.S. Military will
transport 10 MT of produce to Batticaloa. On January
21 and 22, the U.S. military will transport 20 MT.


17. On January 18, the U.S. Military, in conjunction
with the Indian Army, airlifted by helicopter 50 cases
of bottled water, 1,200 paper towels, 204 20-liter
water containers, 200 mattresses, and clothing to
Koggala in Galle District.

18. Between January 4 and January 18, the U.S.
Military completed 58 flights carrying relief supplies
within Sri Lanka. The U.S. Military has completed or
initiated 73 requests for assistance, including the 58
flights of relief supplies, as well as requests for
water distribution, engineer support, and rubble
clearance.

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


19. According to the USAID/DART Water and Sanitation
Officer (WSO),water tankering will continue until all
repairs, including well cleaning, are completed. To
date, 3,500 of 12,000 wells have been cleaned. The
earthquake and tsunamis destroyed 10 urban water
supply systems, but restoration of all the systems was
completed within four days. At a water and sanitation
sector meeting, the Ministry of Urban Development and
Water Supply (MUDWS) distributed a list of immediate
requirements including alum, water meters, mini-
excavators, engine-driven portable well-cleaning
equipment, and portable generators. USAID/OFDA
implementing partner World Vision has already provided
alum.


20. The USAID/DART WSO reported that sanitation is a
priority need, but inaccurate information about needs
is being disseminated. To verify needs in the water
and sanitation sector, from January 21 to 25, the
USAID/DART WSO will meet with local government
officials as well as USAID/OFDA implementing partners
in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Hambamtota,
Matara, and Galle.


21. The USAID/DART WSO stated that UNICEF is
attempting to create a district profile database that
will provide an overview of needs for each district.


22. In February 2005, the National Water Supply and
Drainage Board, in conjunction with the U.N. World
Health Organization (WHO),will conduct training for
water quality testing of wells and community water
systems. Testing of these systems will commence on
March 15.

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


23. On January 17, the USAID/DART hosted the second
weekly shelter meeting with implementing partners
GOAL, Catholic Relief Services (CRS),CHF
International, and Shelter for Life. The group
discussed the new indicators that were developed by
USAID and agreed to minor modifications that will be
circulated to other implementing partners for their
input. These indicators will allow the USAID/DART to
have a solid basis for tracking temporary shelter
progress as well as progress on other activities
(relief supplies, cash-for-work, and micro-finance
activities etc.).

--------------
USAID/DART Staffing
--------------


24. As of January 20, there are 13 members of the
USAID/DART in Sri Lanka and Maldives. Of the 12
USAID/DART members, one individual is in Galle and
another team member is in Male', Maldives.
LUNSTEAD