Waves of Construction: Education

Waves of Destruction: Tsunami

Waves of Compassionate Memories

Waves of Heretic Thoughts ~ ~ ~

Education for Natural Disaster Management

Hemesiri Kotagama

Memories 1997

Presidential Task Force on Environment and Natural Disaster Management

Prof. Vijitha KuruvitaProf. Kapila DahanayakeProf. JayasekeraDr. Hemesiri Kotagama

Hemesiri Kotagama

Hemesiri Kotagama

Major Natural Disasters in Sri Lanka

• Flooding• Droughts• Land Slides

Hemesiri Kotagama

Recommendations: PTF NDM (1997)

• Proactive– Short-term: Public awareness, evacuation plans

and facilities– Long-term: Educational, University and School

curriculam

• Reactive– Disaster Management Unit (Social Services

Ministry)

Hemesiri Kotagama

Why was Tsunami ignored?

Ignorance of Science or HistoryHemesiri Kotagama

Natural Disasters and Management Implications

1. Cause is natural: •Tsunami: movement of earth plates

•Preparedness than Prevention

2. Low probability of occurrence: •Tsunami: Lisbon (1755), Pacific (1782), Krakatoa (1883), Asian (2004)

• Memory fades, • Low returns to prevention (private and political)

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3. Damages •Tsunami (2004) Waves up to 100 ft spread 1 mile inland•Energy equivalent to 2 times of second world war with two atomic bombs, energy use of 11 days of USA

•human beings (SL 31229 lives),•Livelihood (SL 2,50,000) •Property (SL $ 900 M) •Ecology (corals, mangroves, inland salinity 3:30, shorter day length 2.6 microseconds)

• Ecology should not be ignored

Natural Disasters and Management Implications

Hemesiri Kotagama

•4. Degree of disaster depends on • Vulnerability

•Man created (historic coastal settlement, 100m)

• Resilience•Man can create (Drought:Hambantota/ Africa)

Natural Disasters and Management Implications

Hemesiri Kotagama

NDM is Preparedness

Preparedness fn PredictabilityHemesiri Kotagama

Predictability1. Technological:

Human creations to substitute senseLimitless … may be so far … Depends on advancement of scienceOften expensive

Indian ocean did not have Tsunami warning

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Predictability2. Sensual

• Animals use senses• Human beings too have 5 senses• Additionally human beings have

INTELLECT•Ability to receive, store, retrieve, synthesize information, decide•Ability to LEARN and REASON•Developing intellect is:

EDUCATION Hemesiri Kotagama

NDM: EDUCTION FOR PREPAREDNESS

Use senses, learning and reasoning

Nature addresses all 5 human senses

Hemesiri Kotagama

USING EDUCATED SENSES: TSUNAMI PREPAREDNESS

Technological: Warning will be in heights: Have sense of heights of your surrounding

Sensual:Touch: Earthquakes 2004 T it was feltSight: Unusual receding of water 2004 T 1.5 milesSound: Unusual roar

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DECIDE AND ACT FAST

It took 90-120 mts from e-quake for the waves to hit SL

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• It is not that simple … more to be known• Yet knowing simple facts may help to save lives• Let us educate ourselves and others• Could be part of school culture and curriculum

Hemesiri Kotagama

2004 Tsunami: Tribute to a child and Education

“On maikhao beach in northern Phuket, Thailand,A 10 year British girl named Tilly Smith had studied tsunamis in geography class at schoolAnd recognized the warning signs of the receding ocean and frothing bubbles. She and her parents warned others and the beach was evacuated”.

Hemesiri Kotagama

Japanese Fable

Between farther (F) and son (S) seing the stormy sea.

S: Why is the sea such color?F: Sea, earth and sky, could work together against man.S: Where are gods at such time?F: Sometimes God leaves man to care of themselves.They test us how able we are to save ourselves.S: If we are not able?F: We must be able.

Hemesiri Kotagama

Thank you Waves of knowledge is hope for human survival ~ ~ ~

Hemesiri Kotagama