Sri Lanka: Batticaloa Flood OCHA Situation Report No. 1

This situation report is based on information received from OCHA Sri Lanka, Divisional Secretaries (DS) through the Disaster Management Centre in the Government Agent’s Office of Batticaloa. Additional information was received directly from UN and NGO agencies working in Batticaloa.

I. SITUATION

1. Heavy rains from 16 – 24 December 2007 resulted in progressively large numbers of affected and displaced people. During the first two days of the rains, the main affected areas were limited to four Divisions in the central region of the Batticaloa District (Koralai pattu and Eravur pattu), resulting in the displacement of 110 families (375 individuals) to a nearby school. In addition, 474 conflict-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Mavadivembu camp were affected. By 20 December, additional Divisions (Kiran, Manmunai, Chenkalady, Kattankudy, Vavunatheevu, Vaazhaichcheanai and Vaakarai) experienced flooding, swelling the numbers of affected to 15,554 people.

2. Continued heavy rains from 23 – 24 December caused a significant increase in affected Divisions, which spread from the northern tip of Batticaloa District down to most of the District’s coastline. The population of the affected districts totalled some 250,000, which included more than 40,255 displaced in 37 welfare centres and schools. A break in the rains after 24 December resulted in the return of the majority of families, with only 252 individuals remaining displaced by 27 December.

3. Road travel was also disrupted during the peak of the flooding. Two kilometres of the A11 road from Batticaloa to Colombo near Mannampitiya was impassable from 22 - 24 December and train services were also interrupted. Travel between Batticaloa and Trincomalee was disrupted due to a damaged bridge on the A15 from 20 December.

4. An overview of the flood trend is reflected in the OCHA map which indicates an improvement in the previously volatile situation, and though new rainfall could trigger more floods and new displacement.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

5. Divisional Secretaries (DS) in flood-affected Divisions provided statistics to the District Authorities’ Disaster Management Centre (within the office of the Government Agent (GA)) on the number of families affected and or displaced by the flooding in the district, as per the following chart:

6. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights visited the District on 24 and 25 December, holding discussions with relevant government authorities to assess the situation, including the longer-term problem of irrigation and drainage.

7. The GA indicated that the Government would cover the main food needs and requested support from Batticaloa-based agencies to address urgent non-food relief items.

8. The Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services allocated 10 million rupees for the Batticaloa district, which is to be divided between the affected divisions. These resources are to cover the provision of hot meals during 3 days of displacement as well as – to the extent possible - dry rations for affected families.

III. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

9. In addition to the Government-provided food assistance, Oxfam Australia provided food for 3 days for 2,169 families in Kiran and Manmunai North DS divisions, World Vision provided 1 week dry rations to 100 families in Chenkalady DS division and the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society (SLRCS) provided cooked meals for nearly 1,600 families for up to 3 days in Chenkalady division and Kattankudy division.

10. NRC provided plastic sheets for conflict affected IDPs in the Kaluwankerny and Savukkady camps, which were flooded for 3 days, while UNHCR/UNOPS distributed 117 plastic sheets for conflict affected IDPs in Palacholai IDPs camp.

11. UNICEF provided 1000 mats and bed sheets for the families affected in Vaharai Division, as well as support to the local Water Authorities on the operation costs of tankered water. SLRCS distributed hygiene kits, baby hygiene kits, bed sheets, sarongs and sarees for 194 families in Chenkalady Division.

12. On 27 December, OCHA conducted a rapid assessment of the situation of people in displaced sites of Sittandy 1, 2, 3 and 4 Grama Niladari (GN boundary) divisions as well as return areas of Sittandy 1 and Sittandy 4 GN divisions. Although most families had returned to their homes, several areas of concern were noted, including contaminated wells, loss of household goods and health concerns associated with water-borne diseases and snakebites. Longer-term food subsistence was also highlighted as a concern, as many of the affected were no longer able to cultivate lands, mainly due to security issues (both related to presence of armed groups and mines). Longer term drainage / irrigation issues were also highlighted.

13. The OCHA offices in Batticaloa and Colombo, as well as the UN Focal Point, and UNDP Disaster Management Unit, under the leadership of the HC/RC in Sri Lanka are on stand-by if there is a need for further humanitarian action.

14. This situation report, together with information regarding on-going emergencies, is also available on the Reliefweb: http://www.reliefweb.int.

MAP: Sri Lanka: Batticaloa Flood Situation Trend (From 20 - 26 Dec 2007)

For detailed information please contact:

Humanitarian Affairs Officer (Colombo)
Ms. Carmen vanHeese
Tel. +94 773 184 078
Email: vanheese@un.org

Desk Officers:

(NY)
Ms. Esty Sutyoko
Tel. +1 347 260 2062
Email: sutyoko@un.org

(GVA)
Mr. Jean Verheyden
Tel: +41 79 509 8116
Email: verheyden@un.org

Press contact:

(NY)
Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Tel. +1 917 367 5126

(GVA)
Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel. +41 22 917 2653