Budget and programme revision - Period
covered: 28 December 2000 - 9 February 2001
After initial distributions of emergency
relief items by SLRCS volunteers, and bilateral action providing domestic
items, the Federation operation focused on shelter needs and household
goods, assisting over 4,000 families by the end of January -- a revised
target reflecting response to the appeal. When further shelter needs emerged
during the distributions, a second phase of distributions was organised
and will be completed by mid February. Because of a constitutional issue
within the National Society, now resolved, the operation was run directly
by the Federation, in close collaboration with the ICRC.
The context
Cyclone 04B swept across central Sri Lanka on 26 December, bringing 48 hours of heavy rains and winds gusting at 120 km per hour. It made landfall on the eastern coast in a 150 km wide band from Tirukkovil to Trincomalee, then moved north east and left Sri Lanka's western coast between Mannar and Puttalam one day later.
Provisional assessments carried out by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) indicated that a total of 42,000 families were affected by the winds and floods. Many houses were destroyed, especially on the east coast where storm surges swept 100 metres inland. The numbers affected were revised to 60,000 families after a more detailed survey completed on 6 January 2001.
Following a request from SLRCS, the Federation launched a preliminary appeal on 28 December 2000 for CHF 528,308 to assist 10,000 of the worst affected.
Latest events
The government of Sri Lanka convened a co-ordination meeting with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and requested assistance to provide the most vulnerable victims with shelter and other non-food relief items. SLRCS district branch volunteers immediately helped local government officials to distribute cooked food supplies and some clothing. They also gave first aid to the injured. Dry food rations which were initially provided by the government were also distributed.
The weather improved slowly, although rain persisted for several days, making it essential for affected families to repair their homes as soon as possible. The SLRCS volunteers helped homeless people to find appropriate shelters and carried out an immediate assessment of their shelter and relief needs. Many families continued living in overcrowded conditions with relatives, while some have been forced to stay in temporary shelters until they can repair their houses.
Red Cross/Red Crescent action
Immediate Response
The SLRCS branches in the affected areas responded immediately by distributing the limited disaster preparedness stocks available in their warehouses. The ICRC undertook the provision of emergency relief items in those districts and areas where the on-going armed conflict limits access.
The Federation provided CHF 100,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 9 January 2001, to be used as start up funds for the relief operation.
Plan of Action
The implementation of the plan of action presented in the appeal was hampered by a constitutional crisis within the SLRCS. This was due to government action at the end of December, dismissing the government-appointed interim board of management of the Society, and to the subsequent legal challenge by the board, which sought reinstatement. This matter was resolved by the Courts when the interim board's petition was dismissed on 24 January 2001. However, pending the Court's decision, the Federation and ICRC decided to suspend the provision of funding assistance through the SLRCS and to undertake direct procurement and operational co-ordination of the relief programme, while seeking the local assistance of the SLRCS branch volunteers for distributions to the affected families.
In view of these circumstances, a Federation delegate was sent from the South Asia regional delegation on 31 December to support the SLRCS and to establish a mode of operation. It was agreed with senior officers of the SLRCS that the Federation would implement the relief operation directly. A revised plan of action was drawn up to implement the operation with the limited funds committed so far to the appeal. The regional disaster preparedness delegate then arrived from Delhi to review the budget and to implement the operation directly.
The revised plan of action and budget was based on funds in hand and the need to provide assistance immediately to the most vulnerable. Contributions from the Danish and the Japanese Red Cross Societies received after the revision will be used to fund the second and final stage of the operation: this will address additional needs identified during an assessment carried out in conjunction with the first phase distributions.
Bilateral Action
The American Red Cross and the Spanish Red Cross Societies responded to the appeal with bilateral contributions directly to the SLRCS. These contributions covered the provision of sleeping mats, bedsheets and cooking utensils for 3,000 families. All the relief items have been distributed, with the exception of relief goods for 229 families who will receive their final allocation by mid February. The SLRCS will report separately and directly on these operations to the bilateral donor Societies.
The Operation
In view of the bilateral contributions described above, which were used to support the distribution of non-shelter related items, it was decided to focus the Federation operation on the provision of corrugated, galvanised iron roofing sheets (CGI), prioritising families whose houses had been totally destroyed or severely damaged, since shelter had been identified as the greatest remaining need. SLRCS branch volunteers undertook the selection of the most vulnerable families in each affected district, in close co-operation with the local authorities. The SLRCS national relief coordinator and branch development coordinator also supported this in-depth assessment process. Orders were placed for 17,200 CGI sheets.
In the first phase 4,720 families were selected. Ten roofing sheets were distributed to 1,720 families in six Districts :
| District |
No. of Sheets
|
| Anuradhapura |
3,500
|
| Polonnaruwa |
3,200
|
| Trincomalee |
7,600
|
| Ampara |
500
|
| Puttalam |
1,500
|
| Mannar |
900
|
| Total |
17,200
|
In addition, 3,000 families were selected to receive one set of cooking utensils each, two bedsheets and two sleeping mats. These 3,000 families were divided between the districts of Trincomalee (1,000), Anuradhapura (1,000), and Polonnaruwa (1,000). Distribution lists were drawn up, signed by the recipients, and then further certified by the district branch heads and the divisional heads of government authorities.
Distribution commenced on 16 January and was completed by 21 January. It was carried out by SLRCS branch volunteers, assisted by national headquarters staff, under the guidance of the Federation delegate. Payments were made directly by the Federation, and logistics in the conflict affected areas were closely co-ordinated with ICRC. Local government authorities extended their full co-operation to the SLRCS volunteers and national headquarters staff during the district level distributions, and the Red Cross was thanked on many occasions for its quick and effective provision of first aid and relief items in the early phases of the operation.
In the course of the first phase distribution, the SLRCS volunteers became aware of additional severely affected and vulnerable families. A second prioritised list of beneficiaries was drawn up and these will receive CGI sheets and/or bedsheets by mid February, at which point the relief operation will be completed.
The phase two distribution will be as follows: additional families receiving 10 CGI roofing sheets: 350 families in Trincomalee, 220 in Polonnaruwa, 140 in Anuradhapura, 20 in Ampara, and 30 in Mannar (total 760 families receiving 7,600 CGI sheets); 350 families will also receive 2 bedsheets each.
The revised budget for the operation is attached.
External relations - Government/UN/NGOs/Media
Close co-operation has been maintained with the ICRC throughout this operation.
Co-ordination with the local government has been maintained through the SLRCS branches, especially during the needs assessments. Government officers are being kept fully informed of distributions as they take place. Several NGOs have also been involved in the distribution of roofing materials; co-ordination with them has been carried out through local SLRCS branches.
The SLRCS information officer contributed to creating a very positive image of the relief operation, as did some of the worst affected branches. The information officer travelled with journalists and national headquarters staff during the distribution of relief items, producing information material for media representatives which was published extensively, with the SLRCS quoted as a reliable source of information.
Contributions
See Annex 1 for details.
Conclusion
After a slower than anticipated start, due to the constitutional problems within the National Society, the operation is now proceeding smoothly, with completion of the second and final phase scheduled for mid February.
At the end of the first phase of the operation, a "lessons learned" exercise was carried out between the Federation and SLRCS. The results will be used as part of the regional disaster preparedness programme to improve future response operations throughout the region. It is also hoped to carry out a similar learning exercise with ICRC in the months ahead in order to strengthen the Movement's country-wide disaster preparedness capacity.
Hiroshi Higashiura
Head
Asia & Pacific Department
Peter Rees-Gildea
Head a.i.
Relationship Management Department
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