Organizational response to disaster -the case of tsunami, December 2004

Abstract

The Tsunami struck Sri Lanka on 26th December 2004, causing an enormous devastation of humanlives and property. State and non-state sectors being unprepared and poor coordination of internationaland local assistance left people internally displaced even after one year of the disaster. Using primaryand secondary data, the study assessed the responsiveness of the organizations to the Tsunami disasterin the Galle district and developed a model of action for effective disaster management.

The study identified the response levels of the organizations at relief, recovery, reconstruction,rehabilitation and development stages. There was no pre-preparation for a major disaster in Galledistrict. The disaster reliefwas provided by unplanned emergent structures. The prevailing administrativestructures, political institutions, Center for National Operations, Non-governmental organizations,volunteers and community-based groups provided relief for two months. The government establishedthe emergency operation structures for national level coordination

At the recovery stage community and the private sector organizations have been marginalized in theresponse system. Governmental and NGOs have focused on providing transitional shelters and dryrations. The reconstruction and rehabilitation stages have focused on housing, livelihoods, socialrehabilitation and infrastructure, which were in progress through September 2006. The Galle districtemergency operation center completed the Disaster management plan for the district in July 2005.The parliament of Sri Lanka approved the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act, No 13 of2005, underwhich the National Disaster Management center has been established.

The model identifies organizational structure to coordinate donor assistance and link to communityneeds, through national and local level coordinating institutions with the contribution of different sectorsand with proper monitoring. Getting the vulnerable community to actively participate in disastermanagement activities leading towards development will minimize the damage. Suggestions are madefor specific capacity building measures for the different levels of the institutional model.