February 2007 1

ROLE OF SRI LANKA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE IN

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

G.B. SamarasingheDepartment of Meteorology

Sri Lanka

February 2007 2

Department of Meteorology

One of the oldest Government DepartmentsOne of the very few 24 x 7 institutionsTotal cadre of 319 and 19 outstation officesProvider of all Meteorological information for public, aviation, maritime,…Since Tsunami of 2004, functioning as the Tsunami Early Warning Centre

February 2007 3

Flood DroughtLandslideCycloneTornadoLightningCoastal erosion Tsunami

Annual/spatially variantAnnual/spatially variantWith intense rainfall/increasing trend

Infrequent/indirect effectsFrequent during Intermonsoon, pre-Monsoons /increasing trend------------do------------With Monsoons/spatially variantRare

Hydro-meteorological Disasters in Sri Lanka

February 2007 4

YEAR NO. OFDEATHS

DAMAGEDHOUSES

NO. OFAFFECTEDFAMILIES

EXPENDITURE FORDISASTERS

1993 36 42,468 237,737 43,726,604

1994 18 52,927 357,333 40,156,807

1995 1 11,707 91,921 55,288,253

1996 13 9,343 216,208 452,002,869

1997 19 3,608 466,153 318,089,287

1998 5 7,937 38,002 106,665,779

1999 9 3,803 167,416 145,994,839

2000 15 86,845 257,682 65,398,998

2001 6 11,445 458,008 506,214,166

2002 02 5,112 20,201 28,389,474

2003 254 37,227 140,310 1,740,153,392

2004 31230+493 62400 257625

Natural Disasters in Sri Lanka–1993 to 2003

• Floods claimed ~ 62% of total allocations (Rs. 232,454,532) for disasters, in 2006

February 2007 5

More Frequent/Adverse Phenomena

Floods/Landslides

Frequently affected than droughts Almost all river-basins, flood proneBad drainage systemsUnwarranted constructions on slopesAreas with more resources/ high density of population Infrastructure, livelihoods, education and plantation, crop damage, utilities and services affected

Droughts

Dry zones are more susceptibleMostly the rural population is affected Paddy, livelihood, drinking water supply, education affected

February 2007 6

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 livesCyclones infrequent and lot of destruction but almost no loss of lives since 1978 eventDrought has very high socio-economic impact but remains a major priority issue to be addressed

Adverse Phenomena…

February 2007 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 wind-hazards)

“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 2007 8

Towards Disaster Risk Reduction- Most Recent Involvements

Heavy and Torrential Rains : 08-12 January 2007Due to Easterly wave disturbanceNCP, SE, Central regions affected /highest 24hr rainfall (324mm) on 10th at Tissaharamaya in SouthFloods, landslides/road impassibleHydro-power generation at Rantambe plant disrupted due to sedimentation19 deaths with many property damaged

Contribution by Meteorological DepartmentFirst issue and dissemination of weather warning to Public, Media, Disaster Managers etc.24/7 monitoring/updating for more severe weather: landslides/ floodsJoint advisories with landslide related National Building Research Organization (NBRO)Support in Search and Rescue operation/medical attention by SLAF: bad weather/ improvementAdvice in Relief, Evacuation from vulnerable places and Re-settlement processes: bad weather/improvement

February 2007 9

Towards Disaster Risk Reduction- Most Recent Involvements

Tsunami : 2004Unknown disaster caught unaware260,967 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 DepartmentAlthough not within purview, took over responsibility as a 24/7 serviceWarning /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 2007 10

Towards Disaster Risk Reduction.. An Exceptional Climatic & Geological Hazard

Heavy, Intense Rains : 17 May 2003Ratnapura district & Southern region affected due to abnormal intensification/ movement of a Cyclone in Bay of Bengal some 900Km awayHighest rainfall 730mm (28hr) /Most intense 212mm in 2 ½ hrsHuman Life, 265 dead, 500 missingFamilies Affected 188,000Houses destroyed 24,222 ;Houses partially damaged 26,251Relief for Internally Displaced People Rs. 1,840 millionIn Ratnapura alone,185 domestic wells contaminated, 346 sanitary facilities damaged, 305 families in danger of landslidesDamages 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 2007 11

Towards Disaster Risk Reduction.. An Exceptional Climatic & Geological Hazard

contd…

Contribution by Meteorological DepartmentOnly a heavy rain forecast issued firstFew real-time messages due to communication break-downJoint advisories with landslide related National Building Research Organization (NBRO)

This event paved way for flood/landslide disaster risk reductionstrategy (communication, transport, relief etc.), now well established and activated in many Administrative Divisions, whennotification of impending weather hazards are issued from the Department of Meteorology

February 2007 12

Towards Disaster Risk Reduction-Similar Involvements..

Heavy Rain Spell: First week of November 2006NCP, NWP, parts of Southern region affected Some irrigation tanks spilling, and breaking of one tank-bundFloods, landslides/road impassible

Drought after heavy rains in May 2003, till about October and in 2004 in NCPDroughts and heavy rains with spatial variation in 2005/2006Heavy Rains in December 2004 subsequent to Tsunami

Some parts of Eastern and Southern provinces flooded, adding more grievances. About 133000 families affected with 5 deaths due to floods and 7 due to landslides. 395.0 mm of rainfall on 31st December at Akkaraipattu in the East

February 2007 13

Stakeholders in Disaster Risk Reduction & Management

Disaster Early Warning by the Department of MeteorologyNational Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) under Social Services Ministry serving as the key Organization in disaster related issues, up to the period of 2004 TsunamiIn 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 2007 14

DMC

Social Services

Home Affairs

Health

Defense

Power

Coast Conservation

Housing

Irrigation

Science & Technology

Rehabilitation & Reconstruction

Police

Land

Fisheries & Aquatic Resources

Education

Highways

Water Supply

Urban Development

Foreign Affaires

Finance

Environment

Ministers in charge of

Chief Ministers

Opposition MPs

National Council for Disaster Management

Chair Person: H.E. PresidentVice Chairman: Hon. Prime

MinisterOpposition Leader

Ministry of Disaster Management

Ministers in charge of

February 2007 15

National Council for Disaster National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM)Management (NCDM)

Disaster Management Centre Disaster Management Centre (DMC)(DMC)

DirectorDirector--GeneralGeneral National Consultants

Disaster Management

Technology & Long term Mitigation

-Hazard Mapping, Risk

Assessment, Data Collection, Research,

Analysis-

1 Director1 Director1 Asst. Director1 Asst. Director

Early Warning and Dissemination

-

Forecasting, Early Warning and EW

Dissemination (end- to-end)

-

1 Director3 Asst. Directors

Preparedness Planning

-

Prearation of Disaster

Preparedness Plans at National and sub

national levels-

1 Director2 Asst. Directors

Training, Education and Awareness

-

Training, Education and Public Awareness

-

1 Director3 Asst. Directors

National Emergency Operations

-

Activate operations and emergency

response at national/sub-

national levels-

1 Director3 Dep. Directors3 Asst. Director

Personnel and Administration

1 Deputy Director

Finance

1 Deputy Director

External and Internal Relations and Media

1 Deputy Director

Department of MeteorologyDepartment of Meteorology

February 2007 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 & DRR2. Early Warning

Receiving forecasting and early warningForecasting of impending disastersEarly warning andDissemination

3. Emergency Operations in case of a disaster4. Preparedness Planning (National and Other levels)5.Training, Education & Public Awareness

February 2007 17

National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC)

Functions:Preparation and implementation of national disaster management planMonitor the implementation of sub disaster management plansPreparation of a national emergency operation planPlanning and implementation preparedness, mitigation, prevention, response and recovery activities on disaster managementEstablishment of data bank for accumulation and dissemination of informationEnhancement of international cooperation

February 2007 18

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-01Data Entry Ope-01Management Asst. - 04

Drivers- 05Peons- 02

Shroff-01Book Keeper -01Mgt Asst.02 Peons- 01

Data Entry Ope-03Management Asst. 02Peons- 02

Data Entry Ope-01Management Asst. -02Peons- 02

SLAS: Sri Lanka Administrative Service SLPS: Sri Lanka Planning ServiceSL Sc. S: Sri Lanka Scientific Service SLES: Sri Lanka EngineeringManagement Asst: Clerks .Stenos .Typists

Proposed Organizational Structure of National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC)

February 2007 19

Draft Statement on Roles and Responsibilities of Disaster Early Warning Formulation and Dissemination

D issem ination H azard F orm ulation of M essage N ational L ocal

A dverse C lim atic C onditions, C yclones & Storm Surge, Lightning, T ornado, H igh W ind

Part 1 . T hreat/level-D O M Part 2 . Im pact-D M C, D O M ,.. Part 3 . R esponse actions- D M C

• D O M (T ech.B ul) • D M C (D EW )

D M C , D D M C , D ist. Sec, D iv. Sec, G ram a N iladhari, Local A utho, V illage level D M com m ittees

Flood Part 1 . T hreat/level-D O I Part 2 . Im pact-D M C, D O M ,.. Part 3 . R esponse actions- D M C

• D O I, D O M • D M C

Landslide Part 1 . T hreat/level-N B R O Part 2 . Im pact-D M C, N B R O , D O M ,.. Part 3 . R esponse actions- D M C

• N B RO • D M C

Epidem ic Part 1 . T hreat/level-M H Part 2 . Im pact-D M C, M H Part 3 . R esponse actions- D M C

• M H • D M C, M H

T sunam i Part 1 . T hreat/level-D O M Part 2 . Im pact-D M C, D O M ,.. Part 3 . R esponse actions- D M C

• D O M • D M C,G SM B ,

N A RA , C C D

D rought Part 1 . T hreat/level-D O M Part 2 . Im pact-D M C, D O M ,.. Part 3 . R esponse actions- D M C

• D O M • D M C, D O A ,

D O I, D A S, M A SL

D O M -D ept of M eteorology, D M C D isaster M anagem ent C entre, D O I- D ept of Irrigation, N B RO - N ational B uild ing Research O rganization, M H - M inistry of H ealth, G SM B - G eological survey 7 M ines B ureau, N A R A - N ational A quatic R esources A gency, C C D - Coast Conservation D ept, D O A -D ept of A griculture, D A S- D ept of A grarian Svc. M A SL- M ahaweli A uthority of SL

February 2007 20

Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies

Governance : Institutional and Policy FrameworkKnowledge Management: building a culture of resilient communitiesRisk identification and assessment

February 2007 21

More Effective Strategy in Disaster Risk ReductionDemarcation of responsibilities of involved organizations

Addressing cross-cutting issuesPromote pre-disaster planning and preparedness against present post disaster rehabilitation activitiesEducation and awareness

On hazards/ preparedness/ risk reduction strategiesAuthority of weather advisories (credibility & confidence)To overcome rigidity towards leaving homelands

Enhanced community participationFrom disaster managers to grass-roots level

Legal and constitutional mandate for involved organizations

February 2007 22

More Effective Strategy…. Topics of Concern & Weaknesses

Flood inundation mapsNational authority for landslide specialty, with trained geologistsLarge 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 2007 23

Thank Thank YouYou