Thailand buried the last of its unknown victims in a quiet ceremony attended by a handful of officials and Buddhist monks. Tsunami victim Heru checks his homework inside his family's room at a temporary housing complex in Banda Aceh on December 12, Two years after the Indian Ocean tsunami wiped out their neighborhoods, many survivors struggled to understand why their homes have not been rebuilt. Only one temple was left standing, the one structure built from concrete. Homes were washed away with residents still inside, market stalls and thousands of shoppers didn't stand a chance against the sheer force of mother nature.
It is impossible to capture the extent of the devastation on camera and only those who lived through that day know its true horror. But one overwhelming memory for those who arrived afterward is the look in survivors' eyes. Hope for children in Sri Lanka Warning system changes since tsunami Tsunami victim found 10 years later I accompanied a U. He told me he would never forget "the victims, dead-eyed in their hospital beds, lying there, staring at us, wondering what their stories were, how they'll ever learn to cope with this, what they've seen, what they've lost.
A magnitude 9. These images show the damage caused by the resulting tsunami to the shores of northwestern Sumatra. Image of the Day Atmosphere Water. EO Explorer. Tsunami Strikes Sri Lanka. The recent decision by the Government of Sri Lanka to keep in place an island-wide lockdown was critical to help limit the spread of the virus, provide time for the health system to increase capacity, protect healthcare workers, reach vaccination targets, and most importantly save lives.
Sri Lanka is currently in the 11th position of the countries with highest number of deaths per , population according to WHO figures on 25 August. As indicated in the 6th Independent Technical Expert Group Meeting on 26 August convened by the World Health Organization WHO , if lockdowns are extended to 18 September and 2 October, respectively, 7, and 10, deaths can be prevented in comparison to a release on 30 August.
An extended lockdown allows time for the health system to recover from the current pressures including a shortage of beds and critical supplies like oxygen. It is therefore important to count the human cost of the pandemic, over short-term economic concerns.
The economy can recover but those we lose will never return. A short-term lockdown now will save lives, offer respite to our tireless health workers, and limit the long-term social and economic dislocation of a wider COVID outbreak.
There remain economic concerns with many believing that the long-term impact of the pandemic on the economy will cost many more lives in the future and drive businesses into bankruptcy and individuals to poverty. However, economic activity can normalise in many areas when effective public health measures contain the spread of COVID This is testament to how maintaining strict lockdown measures during crucial periods reduces COVID transmission and mortality and contributes to a safer public health environment as this gives workers and businesses the confidence to resume their economic activities and provides a basis for a sustainable economic recovery.
This lockdown period should be used to build capacities to detect, isolate, test and care for all cases; trace and quarantine all contacts and increase vaccination. It is also important to mobilize all sectors of society, with partners supporting the Government in its engagement with faith groups, NGOs and the civil society, and thus help meet the needs of lower income groups who are bearing the brunt of the health and socioeconomic effects of COVID We will still need to continue with policy and medical measures such as surveillance, testing, isolating, and caring for cases and tracing and quarantining contacts.
The public must also continue to follow physical distancing and health measures such as washing hands and avoiding closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings. The UN in Sri Lanka has provided technical, material, skills, partner coordination and logistical support and will continue to work with government partners to address both the health and socioeconomic impact of the pandemic to help Sri Lanka recover and build back better.
It is only through solidarity, partnership, and personal responsibility that we will defeat this virus — let us all do our part. Tapping into a flood resilient future in Sri Lanka. Nishantha welcomes all his guests with a cup of tea and a piece of jaggery sugar made from the Kithul sap tapped from his own trees. Occasionally, a small plantation of a few trees would be passed down as treasured family heirlooms.
A Kithul tree can take up to 15 years to mature and its flowers can produce sap for generations. However, despite huge demand for its products, due to scanty tree spread and safety issues, the supply of Kithul products barely meets market demand. The slowdown of the industry is compounded by a reluctance of farmers to encourage their children to continue the family trade.
With support from the ILO, Kithul farmers received insurance policies that cover injuries and accidents. New safety equipment has helped ageing farmers like Nishantha to continue to tap Kithul trees whilst minimizing the danger to their bodies. The project has also planted nearly ten thousand Kithul trees on private land, in the care of 32 farmers. Whilst being enormously generous with its produce, Kithul is a rare industry that generates both economic value whilst also promoting environmental security.
The Kithul tree canopy can slow down the intensity of rain as it falls to the ground; thus preventing soil erosion. Collectively these effects can have a huge impact in mitigating the damage caused by floods, enabling a greater resilience to climate change for local communities and ecosystems. This is particularly relevant in flood prone areas such as the Kalutara district, which receives some of the highest rainfall in the country during the southwest monsoon.
Providing technology that lessens risk as well as increases efficiency and profitability and thereby reduces the economic fragility of the industry is a core long-term objective of the project.
It has brought together Kithul farmers from many parts of the country, enabling them to share knowledge and expertise. The project also seeks to provide active links to the market. Nishantha talks about how he once earned about two lakhs approx. USD1, from a single tree over the course of a few months.
A summary of the assessment information gathered to date is given below. While there is access to the district, there is considerable damage to infrastructure including to roads and bridges. Of immediate concern is the damage caused to the health centres, in particular the Galle Maternity hospital. While the population has been routinely immunised, there remain fears of potential water and vector borne disease outbreaks. While there has been a disruption to water supply, potable water is available.
However, the lack of sanitation facilities is a major concern. Access to those affected in Ampara is good by road. Damage to infrastructure includes to six hospitals which has significantly disrupted health services. Public buildings are being used as temporary shelters for those who have lost their homes. Water supplies are generally disrupted and there remains a shortage of clean drinking water.
Food supply is adequate and supported by local donations although in the medium term will become an issue. While there is access to Matara, secondary roads are in poor condition and may hamper efforts to bring relief supplies to those affected.
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