SLI LANKA JAPAN Local Responses for meeting The Tsunami Challenge. Shigenori Asai, Japan Water Forum Rei Asada, JWF Youth Devsiri Fernando, NetWwater

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1 SLI LANKA JAPAN Local Responses for meeting The Tsunami Challenge Shigenori Asai, Japan Water Forum Rei Asada, JWF Youth Devsiri Fernando, NetWwater

2 The Great Tsunami following the Sumatra Earthquake on Dec 26, 2004

3 The Great Tsunami following the Sumatra Earthquake on Dec 26, 2004 The Human Economic and social losses caused by the Tsunami in Sri Lanka Number of dead 35,000 Wounded 211,441 Number of Displaced persons 516,150 Worth of property destroyed 900 million U.S. Dollars Livelihoods destroyed 150,000 Number of damaged houses 98,000 Percentage of fishing equipment destroyed 75 Schools damaged 182 Schools being used as comps for the displaced 446 Students orphaned 200, 000 Source Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Dept. of Census & Statistics, TAFREN

4 Preliminary Investigation of the Disaster Damages in Sri Lanka caused by Indian Ocean Tsunami by the Japan Water Forum (Jan 12 17, 2005) What can we do as the Japan Water Forum? Japan Water Forum is the successor to the Secretariat of the 3 rd World Water Forum (Japan, 2003). The mission is to contribute to the resolution of various water related problems in the world, and it is our intent to make a difference for the people affected by Tsunami.

5 Local Action - Tsunami Challenge 1

6 The Tsunami Challenge 1: Purpose In Japan, we have experienced numerous natural disasters, lifted ourselves out of the ruins, and restored normal life. sharing experiences To encourage the numbed victims to embark on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of their lives To disseminate lessons learned from disaster experience to the next generation

7 The Tsunami Challenge 1: Who? 4 former tsunami victims of the Okushiri Island, Hokkaido fisherman, civil servant of the town 1993 Southwest Hokkaido Earthquake and Tsunami Death toll: 198 people 10 young members of the JWF Members of the NetWwater NetWwater (Network of Women Water Professionals) is committed to the Dublin-Rio Principals and are involved in water literacy and gender mainstreaming

8 The Tsunami Challenge 1: When and Where? Mar 14 18, 2005 Moratuwa Hikkaduwa

9 The Tsunami Challenge 1: What and How? Seminars and Workshops at school classrooms and campsites etc 4 former tsunami victims of the Okushiri told their experiences and made some proposals on rehabilitation and disaster prevention measures.

10 The Tsunami Challenge 1: What and How? Seminars and Workshops at school classrooms and campsites etc At the beginning of the seminar, the youth groups performed Yosakoi-Soranbushi, the modified version of the Japanese regional dance with a hope to revive a fishing industry

11 The Tsunami Challenge 1: What and How? Build temporary toilets and wells Provide stationery for students The costs were covered by Japan Water Forum funds and the donations for the victims collected at the JWF booth, World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in January 2005 in Kobe, Japan.

12 Local Action Tsunami Challenge 2

13 The Tsunami Challenge 2: Background During our previous stay, we actually had a request from the school teachers and local government officials to assist them with the know-how of disaster prevention and preparedness programs. The situation in Sri Lanka Panics caused by false rumors of tsunami Serious destruction of environment due to the rush of tourism development around the coastal areas (Decrease of Mangrove and living rocks that can prevent the damage of tidal disasters). Measures for disaster prevention and preparedness lagging behind (both soft and hard aspects) Little knowledge concerning disaster, deficiency in the know-how and human resources for disaster prevention and preparedness program.

14 The Tsunami Challenge 2: Purpose To provide appropriate information about disaster & disaster prevention To systematize people s experience and knowledge of disaster, and strengthen the capacity of the community to cope with unexpected hazard Approach to the soft aspect of disaster prevention/preparedness

15 The Tsunami Challenge 2: What? We decided to make and distribute a booklet for tsunami disaster prevention & preparedness in collaboration with the NetWwater and our youth friends (students) in Sri Lanka. Usage of the booklet as a tool for awareness-raising activity, turning practical measures for disaster prevention into a part of people s everyday life, what everyone knows

16 The Tsunami Challenge 2: Two Faced Sea Practical, easy-to-understand, appropriate guidelines and the present disaster prevention system in Sri Lanka For children of the 8 th grade upper

17 The Tsunami Challenge 2: Contents of Two Faced Sea Section 1 What is Tsunami? With 4 Personal Experiences The Internal workings of the Earth Identifying Tsunami Conditions The inclusion of Sri Lanka to Tsunami danger zone Pre-identification of Tsunami conditions Tsunami warning system The existing Tsunami warning system in Sri Lanka The impact of Tsunami conditions on Coastal Environmental systems Coastal Environmental Systems of Sri Lanka The main coastal environmental systems in Sri Lanka Coastal Belt, Sand Flats & Sand Dunes, Coral Reefs, Lagoons and estuaries, Salt marshes (Salterns), Mangroves Section 2 Before Tsunami During Tsunami After Tsunami

18 The Tsunami Challenge 2: Efforts and difficulties on the process Gathering information and interviewing experts Discuss, select, & arrange info to be put into the pamphlet Finalizing booklet Workshops and distribution of booklets

19 The Tsunami Challenge 2: Workshops and distribution Life is the most precious thing - Hiroshi Miura, Okushiri Island, Japan. At that time I was living with my Grandparents in an old wooden house.( My Grand Father had a bad leg). The electric power was disconnected due to the earthquake. I could not see anything as it was the middle of the night. But I somehow got my Grand Father and Grand Mother out of the window. I grabbed the hand of my Grand Mother and carrying my Grand Father on my back, ran up the pre-arranged evacuation path. The Tsunami wave stuck my feet in a short time of about 3 minutes. I would have died if I did not follow the pre-arranged evacuation path

20 The Tsunami Challenge 2: When and Where? Feb 26 Mar 3, 2006 Moratuwa Hikkaduwa

21 The Tsunami Challenge 2: questionnaire Distributed Question Sheets for children to get Feedback. Question sheet1; Immediately collected 1. With whom will you discuss what you learnt from this workshop? 2. What are the ways in which we can mitigate the tsunami disaster? 3. Give your general comments on this workshop?

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23 Question sheet 2 Given to them to take home, read the book and answer 1.With whom did you discuss the contents of this book? 2. Did you receive any knowledge to escape from the tsunami disaster? If so, what was it? 3. Did you learn any processes to help reduce problem created by tsunami?

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25 Did you receive any knowledge to escape from the tsunami disaster? If so, what was it? move to high ground must be prepared on tsunami should have needed a book, knowledge calm your mind and act with patience to have pre-plan don't stay in cars

26 Mass Communiation Our project has been introduced through TV and Newspaper several times. Japanese people s awareness can be also raised

27 Sharing experiences and Learning knowledge are very important Keep acting to raise awareness slowly and broadly with periodic impact to the public through Mass Media to SAVE OUR LIVES from Tsunami