ROLE OF SRI LANKA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

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1 ROLE OF SRI LANKA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION G.B. Samarasinghe Department of Meteorology Sri Lanka February

2 Department of Meteorology One of the oldest Government Departments One of the very few 24 x 7 institutions Total cadre of 319 and 19 outstation offices Provider of all Meteorological information for public, aviation, maritime, Since Tsunami of 2004, functioning as the Tsunami Early Warning Centre February

3 Hydro-meteorological Disasters in Sri Lanka Flood Drought Landslide Cyclone Tornado Lightning Coastal erosion Tsunami Annual/spatially variant Annual/spatially variant With intense rainfall/increasing trend Infrequent/indirect effects Frequent during Intermonsoon, pre-monsoons /increasing trend do With Monsoons/spatially variant Rare February

4 Natural Disasters in Sri Lanka 1993 to 2003 YEAR NO. OF DEATHS DAMAGED HOUSES NO. OF AFFECTED FAMILIES EXPENDITURE FOR DISASTERS , ,737 43,726, , ,333 40,156, ,707 91,921 55,288, , , ,002, , , ,089, ,937 38, ,665, , , ,994, , ,682 65,398, , , ,214, ,112 20,201 28,389, , ,310 1,740,153, Floods claimed ~ 62% of total allocations (Rs. 232,454,532) for disasters, in 2006 February

5 More Frequent/Adverse Phenomena Floods/Landslides Frequently affected than droughts Almost all river-basins, flood prone Bad drainage systems Unwarranted constructions on slopes Areas with more resources/ high density of population Infrastructure, livelihoods, education and plantation, crop damage, utilities and services affected Droughts Dry zones are more susceptible Mostly the rural population is affected Paddy, livelihood, drinking water supply, education affected February

6 Adverse Phenomena Landslides record back to ~ 1869 of rail transport disruption for 19 days, still affect many families claiming lives and property damage Floods affect many families causing property damage claiming lives Cyclones infrequent and lot of destruction but almost no loss of lives since 1978 event Drought has very high socio-economic impact but remains a major priority issue to be addressed February

7 Meteorological Service Towards Disaster Risk Reduction Actively involved throughout, in all disaster early warning, particularly weather related (seismological till 1970 s) Now a crucial factor with human activity/intervention Excessive removal of sand from river beds/ beaches, destruction of coastal vegetation, unwarranted constructions on slopes, increased exposure to lightning (30-40 deaths per year), population growth/shanty dwellers (property damage by windhazards) Recognition of NMHS as a major component of the national infrastructure development in support of disaster risk reduction and emergency management (WMO Congress-2003) February

8 Towards Disaster Risk Reduction- Most Recent Involvements Heavy and Torrential Rains : January 2007 Due to Easterly wave disturbance NCP, SE, Central regions affected /highest 24hr rainfall (324mm) on 10 th at Tissaharamaya in South Floods, landslides/road impassible Hydro-power generation at Rantambe plant disrupted due to sedimentation 19 deaths with many property damaged Contribution by Meteorological Department First issue and dissemination of weather warning to Public, Media, Disaster Managers etc. 24/7 monitoring/updating for more severe weather: landslides/ floods Joint advisories with landslide related National Building Research Organization (NBRO) Support in Search and Rescue operation/medical attention by SLAF: bad weather/ improvement Advice in Relief, Evacuation from vulnerable places and Re-settlement processes: bad weather/improvement February

9 Towards Disaster Risk Reduction- Most Recent Involvements Tsunami : 2004 Unknown disaster caught unaware 260,967 families (1.3 million) have been affected, 31,225 have been killed and 4,100 missing, around 108,467 houses have been damaged. Total estimated economic loss for Tsunami is around US$ 3000 millions Contribution by Meteorological Department Although not within purview, took over responsibility as a 24/7 service Warning /monitoring/updating for Relief Authorities, Public, Media, Disaster Managers etc. A subsequent seismic activity on March 2005, a Tsunami warning Issued by Met. Department, preparedness action taken, and the warning withdrawn later with updated information This event paved way for Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act February

10 Towards Disaster Risk Reduction.. An Exceptional Climatic & Geological Hazard Heavy, Intense Rains : 17 May 2003 Ratnapura district & Southern region affected due to abnormal intensification/ movement of a Cyclone in Bay of Bengal some 900Km away Highest rainfall 730mm (28hr) /Most intense 212mm in 2 ½ hrs Human Life, 265 dead, 500 missing Families Affected 188,000 Houses destroyed 24,222 ;Houses partially damaged 26,251 Relief for Internally Displaced People Rs. 1,840 million In Ratnapura alone,185 domestic wells contaminated, 346 sanitary facilities damaged, 305 families in danger of landslides Damages to road network/ Electricity cables and meters inundated/ Disruption to business and industry/ Damage to crops and homestead/ Damage to irrigation and drainage canal system/ Destruction of lives stock/ Disruption of education/ Damage to water supply pipe lines/ Damage to communication February

11 Towards Disaster Risk Reduction.. An Exceptional Climatic & Geological Hazard contd Contribution by Meteorological Department Only a heavy rain forecast issued first Few real-time messages due to communication break-down Joint advisories with landslide related National Building Research Organization (NBRO) This event paved way for flood/landslide disaster risk reduction strategy (communication, transport, relief etc.), now well established and activated in many Administrative Divisions, when notification of impending weather hazards are issued from the Department of Meteorology February

12 Towards Disaster Risk Reduction-Similar Involvements.. Heavy Rain Spell: First week of November 2006 NCP, NWP, parts of Southern region affected Some irrigation tanks spilling, and breaking of one tank-bund Floods, landslides/road impassible Drought after heavy rains in May 2003, till about October and in 2004 in NCP Droughts and heavy rains with spatial variation in 2005/2006 Heavy Rains in December 2004 subsequent to Tsunami Some parts of Eastern and Southern provinces flooded, adding more grievances. About families affected with 5 deaths due to floods and 7 due to landslides mm of rainfall on 31st December at Akkaraipattu in the East February

13 Stakeholders in Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Disaster Early Warning by the Department of Meteorology National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) under Social Services Ministry serving as the key Organization in disaster related issues, up to the period of 2004 Tsunami In May 2005, the Government of Sri Lanka passed the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No 13 of 2005 in the Parliament and the National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM) was established, as per the Act February

14 Ministers in charge of Ministers in charge of Social Services Rehabilitation & Reconstruction Home Affairs Health National Council for Disaster Management Chair Person: H.E. President Vice Chairman: Hon. Prime Minister Opposition Leader Police Finance Land Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Science & Technology Housing Coast Conservation Irrigation Power Defense Chief Ministers DMC Opposition MPs Ministry of Disaster Management Foreign Affaires Water Supply Highways Urban Development Education Environment February

15 National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM) Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Director-General National Consultants Disaster Management Technology & Long term Mitigation - Hazard Mapping, Risk Assessment, Data Collection, Research, Analysis - 1 Director 1 Asst. Director Early Warning and Dissemination - Forecasting, Early Warning and EW Dissemination (endto-end) - 1 Director 3 Asst. Directors Preparedness Planning - Prearation of Disaster Preparedness Plans at National and sub national levels - 1 Director 2 Asst. Directors Training, Education and Awareness - Training, Education and Public Awareness - 1 Director 3 Asst. Directors National Emergency Operations - Activate operations and emergency response at national/subnational levels - 1 Director 3 Dep. Directors 3 Asst. Director Personnel and Administration 1 Deputy Director External and Internal Relations and Media 1 Deputy Director Finance 1 Deputy Director Department of Meteorology February

16 Main Activities of DMC Directing, issuing guidelines, facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, where necessary directly Implementing or enforcing activities related to, 1.Disaster Management Technology, Long-term Mitigation & DRR 2. Early Warning Receiving forecasting and early warning Forecasting of impending disasters Early warning and Dissemination 3. Emergency Operations in case of a disaster 4. Preparedness Planning (National and Other levels) 5.Training, Education & Public Awareness February

17 National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) Functions: Preparation and implementation of national disaster management plan Monitor the implementation of sub disaster management plans Preparation of a national emergency operation plan Planning and implementation preparedness, mitigation, prevention, response and recovery activities on disaster management Establishment of data bank for accumulation and dissemination of information Enhancement of international cooperation February

18 Proposed Organizational Structure of National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) DIRECTOR (SLAS Class I) Deputy Director (SLAS II/I) Professional Development, policy, Planning, Community Awareness & Administration Deputy Director (SLAS II/I) Response& Recovery Programme Deputy Director (SLScS./SLES ) Information, Research, Development & Risk Reduction Asst. Director (SLAS II/II) Professional Development,& Administration Asst.Director (SLAS/SLPS II/II) Policy Planning, & Community Awareness Asst.Director (SLAS II/II,) Asst.Director (SLSc.S/SLES) Research, Development, & Risk Reduction Asst.Director (SLSc.S-IT) Information Accountant (SLAc.S) Admin. Officer (A.O.) Social Service Officers (SSO) - 05 Management Asst. (Graduate Scheme) - 30 Asst. Research Officers (Geology) -04 Data Processing Officer. 02 Financial Asst.-01 Chief cleark-01 Data Entry Ope-01 Management Asst Drivers- 05 Peons- 02 Data Entry Ope-01 Management Asst. -02 Peons- 02 Data Entry Ope-03 Management Asst. 02 Peons- 02 Shroff-01 Book Keeper -01 Mgt Asst.02 Peons- 01 SLAS: Sri Lanka Administrative Service SLPS: Sri Lanka Planning Service SL Sc. S: Sri Lanka Scientific Service SLES: Sri Lanka Engineering February 2007 Management Asst: Clerks.Stenos.Typists 18

19 Draft Statement on Roles and Responsibilities of Disaster Early Warning Formulation and Dissemination Hazard Adverse Climatic Conditions, Cyclones & Storm Surge, Lightning, Tornado, High Wind Flood Landslide Epidemic Tsunami Drought Formulation of Message Part 1. Threat/level-DOM Part 2. Impact-DM C, DOM,.. Part 3. Response actions- DMC Part 1. Threat/level-DOI Part 2. Impact-DM C, DOM,.. Part 3. Response actions- DMC Part 1. Threat/level-NBRO Part 2. Impact-DM C, NBRO, DOM,.. Part 3. Response actions- DMC Part 1. Threat/level-MH Part 2. Impact-DMC, MH Part 3. Response actions- DMC Part 1. Threat/level-DOM Part 2. Impact-DM C, DOM,.. Part 3. Response actions- DMC Part 1. Threat/level-DOM Part 2. Impact-DM C, DOM,.. Part 3. Response actions- DMC Dissemination National DOM (Tech.Bul) DMC (DEW) DOI, DOM DMC NBRO DMC MH DMC, MH DOM DMC,GSMB, NARA, CCD DOM DMC, DOA, DOI, DAS, MASL Local DMC, DDMC, Dist. Sec, Div. Sec, Grama Niladhari, Local Autho, Village level DM committees DOM-Dept of Meteorology, DMC Disaster Management Centre, DOI- Dept of Irrigation, NBRO- National Building Research Organization, MH- Ministry of Health, GSMB- Geological survey 7 Mines Bureau, NARA- National Aquatic Resources Agency, CCD- Coast Conservation Dept, DOA-Dept of Agriculture, DAS- Dept of Agrarian Svc. MASL- Mahaweli Authority of SL February

20 Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies Governance : Institutional and Policy Framework Knowledge Management: building a culture of resilient communities Risk identification and assessment February

21 More Effective Strategy in Disaster Risk Reduction Demarcation of responsibilities of involved organizations Addressing cross-cutting issues Promote pre-disaster planning and preparedness against present post disaster rehabilitation activities Education and awareness On hazards/ preparedness/ risk reduction strategies Authority of weather advisories (credibility & confidence) To overcome rigidity towards leaving homelands Enhanced community participation From disaster managers to grass-roots level Legal and constitutional mandate for involved organizations February

22 More Effective Strategy. Topics of Concern & Weaknesses Flood inundation maps National authority for landslide specialty, with trained geologists Large scale survey maps (0.5 m contours; 1:1500 scales for inundation and landslides) Regulations on Environmental Conservation eg. building construction, especially in landslide prone areas since, Increasing Environmental Degradation, Deforestation, Unplanned Urbanization, Improper Land Use (Catchment area encroachment) Increasing trend of extreme events may lead to frequent disasters Strengthening linkage between Meteorological Service and the Disaster Managements Recent findings (Ohio State University and University of California) that a drop in gravity in the environs of Sri Lanka after the recent Tsunami, may trigger more landslides February

23 Thank You February