By Michael Flint and Hugh Goyder
Executive summary

This is a synthesis evaluation covering the international community's funding of the relief response to the tsunami of December 2004.(1) It is one of five similar thematic evaluations commissioned by the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition (TEC) which was set up to promote a sector-wide approach to the evaluation of the tsunami response and to maximise learning.

This synthesis is based on 30 evaluation reports covering bilateral donors, UN agencies, the Red Cross/Red Crescent

By Jon Bennett (principal author), William Bertrand, Clare Harkin, Stanley Samarasinghe, Hemantha Wickramatillake
Published by the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition (TEC)

Executive summary

Introduction

Evaluating the coordination of humanitarian actors within the response to the tsunami of December 2004 provides an opportunity to reflect on the behaviour and performance of the international response system when, unusually, financial resources were not a constraint. The recently launched global Humanitarian Response Review (HRR) and the

By Ian Christoplos
Executive summary

The overall objective of this evaluation is to find out how operations and roles of the various actors were governed by ideas and practices regarding the linking of relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD), and to assess what consequences those ideas, practices and subsequent actions have had or may in future have for the affected population.

The tsunami had an immense impact on development processes, conflicts, patterns of risk and poverty in the affected areas. So also did the subsequent relief and development efforts. This

1. Introduction
In the months following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004, the public spotlight shone on the plight of children in the affected countries as never before. The spotlight helped -- by making the public aware of the risks that children faced, and by triggering a tremendous outpouring of generosity from the public and governments around the world, who gave an unprecedented amount of resources for children. Because of this generosity, the governments, UNICEF and other organizations were able to accelerate measures to save children's lives, return them

AFRICA: In eastern Africa, heavy rains and floods have caused loss of life and destroyed crops and infrastructure in several countries. However, prospects for current crops have improved. In southern Africa, cereal import requirements in 2005/06 (excluding South Africa) are estimated about 30 percent higher than last year due to substantially reduced harvests in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. South Africa, on the other hand, is estimated to have more than enough exportable surplus of maize to meet the import needs of the subregion. In western Africa,

INTRODUCTION

Tsunami waves ranging between one and five metres high were reported in all parts of Maldives. The force of the waves caused widespread infrastructure devastation in the islands, 80 percent of which are less than one metre above sea level. One in three of the Maldives' 290,000 residents were affected by the tsunami. Homes were destroyed, livelihoods lost and infrastructure damaged on 69 of 199 inhabited islands, including Fonadhoo, pictured here. According to the Government, 29,577 residents were displaced by the tsunami. Approximately

Introduction

Executive Summary

In response to a request from President Gayoom of the Maldives, the Australian Prime Minister Mr Howard committed a team of Australian marine scientists to assist in the assessment of damage to the coral reefs of the Maldives following the 26 December 2004 tsunami.

The team was formed by scientists from Australia's leading marine science agencies (CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and James Cook University), and included expertise in coral and coral reef fish ecology,

SUMMARY

The tsunami which hit Maldives on 26 December, 2004 was a nation-wide disaster which caused severe damage to the physical infrastructure of many islands. The tsunami has set back the high levels of social progress and prosperity achieved in recent years. Total damages are estimated to be US$470 million, 62% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Of these losses, direct losses are $298 million, or about 8% of the replacement cost of the national capital stock. Severe damage was caused to houses, tourist resorts, boats and other fishing equipment,