SRI LANKA AND MALDIVES: SWIFT RESPONSE TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000616

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR SA/INS AND CA/OCS
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA - THAYER, FLEMING, GARVELINK
BANGKOK FOR USAID/OFDA - TOM DOLAN
USPACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR CASC PHUM PGOV CE MV
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA AND MALDIVES: SWIFT RESPONSE TO
POTENTIAL TSUNAMI WARNING


1. (SBU) Summary: In sharp contrast to the December 26
earthquake and tsunami that caused devastating loss of life
in Sri Lanka and Maldives, both governments responded quickly
and efficiently to the potential for another deadly tsunami
following the March 28 earthquake off the Indonesian island
of Sumatra. Both governments issued public warnings and
disseminated available information quickly. Mission staff
alerted officials in both governments, as well as American
citizens, to warn them of a possible tsunami. On the day
after the March 28 earthquake, when it seemed like the danger
had passed, people slowly started to breathe again. End
Summary.

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Sri Lanka
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2. (SBU) In Sri Lanka, it appears that a rudimentary warning
system, developed after the December 26 tidal wave,
functioned as hoped following the March 28 earthquake, news
of which reached Sri Lanka around 11 PM local time. Upon
notification from the State Operations Center, the Embassy
immediately contacted the Foreign Minister, who in turn
contacted President Kumaratunga. The Government of Sri Lanka
(GSL) Geological Survey and Mine Bureau is the point of
contact for national disasters. At the onset of an impending
problem, the bureau contacts the national police
communications center, which in turn relays any message to
its 19 regional communication centers. Officials at the
regional communication centers are responsible for contacting
local police and community leaders to disseminate the
information.


3. (SBU) Within a short time of the warning being issued by
the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, local police
were announcing the warning on loudspeakers as they drove
through coastal neighborhoods and went door-to-door. The
media also played a role by continuously broadcasting the
warning and carrying President Kumaratunga's midnight
statement to the public. According to contacts and media
reports all along the coast, Sri Lankan citizens heard the
warnings and -- likely prompted by fear and recent memories
-- reacted quickly to the news. Sri Lankans also reached out
to family and neighbors, calling or visiting to spread the
warning.


4. (SBU) Residents in the southern coastal towns of Tangalle
and Matara heard police announcements on loud speakers and
radio broadcasts of the warning. Many also reported hearing
Foreign Minister Kadirgamar's alert on BBC, in which he
stated that the U.S. Embassy had contacted him with the news.
In the east, as elsewhere, ringing bells from Buddhist
temples and Christian churches alerted villagers to the
problem. In a suburb north of Colombo, residents in coastal
areas reportedly packed their belongings -- including
refrigerators and televisions for fear of looting -- and
drove to higher ground.


5. (SBU) Thousands -- assisted at times by the police,
military, and NGOs -- all along Sri Lanka's coast evacuated
their homes for higher ground. NGO officials visited
temporary shelters and an internally displaced persons camp
in southern Sri Lanka and found them deserted within an hour
of the warning being issued. As March 29 dawned without
incident and the tsunami alert was lifted, residents slowly
returned home. A canvassing of local staff at the Embassy
revealed that many had slept little while the fear of another
tsunami remained. There are several unconfirmed reports of

SIPDIS
people killed as a result of the last night's fear of
disaster -- one woman died while evacuating her residence and
three others died in two separate vehicle accidents.

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Maldives
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6. (SBU) Maldives, which saw one hundred percent of its land
mass flooded on December 26, also reacted strongly to the
possibility of another tsunami. The U.S. Embassy DATT
immediately alerted the Maldivian National Security Service
(NSS). The Government of the Republic of Maldives (GORM)
issued a public statement telling its citizens not to go near
the beach. According to one contact, it was a "difficult
situation" for the low-lying island nation, and there was
some confusion in the immediate hours following the GORM's
warning. Despite the government message, some people still
congregated at the dock areas of the capital island of Male'
to see what was happening. Dr. Shaheed, the Chief Government
Spokesman, who is accompanying Maldivian President Gayoom on
an official visit to India, told poloff that were there
reports of 5-centimeter swells in the southern part of the
islands with 20-centimeter swells in the north. With the
danger passed, everyone seemed all right, according to
Shaheed.

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Consular Response
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7. (SBU) There have been no reports of American citizens
harmed or affected by the evacuations on March 28. Consular
staff issued a warden's message for both Sri Lanka and
Maldives, as well as contacting hospitals, larger hotels
frequented by Westerners, and local travel companies in Sri
Lanka. As Sri Lanka's landline and mobile phone systems
quickly became overwhelmed by the volume of calls, consular
staff sent text messages via mobile phones to contacts in the
east -- the region of Sri Lanka hit hardest on December 26.
Embassy officials also contacted AmCits vacationing in
Maldives to pass along the warnings.

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Comment
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8. (SBU) As both countries regroup after a frightening
night, the good news is, had there been an earthquake-induced
tsunami last night, thousands of lives would have been saved

SIPDIS
due to quick notification from the U.S. and effective
government performance in getting warnings out to vulnerable
areas immediately. End Comment.


LUNSTEAD