Responding to Disaster Responding to Disaster SituationsSituations

UWL ChandradasaUWL Chandradasa

Responding to Disaster Responding to Disaster SituationsSituations

UWL ChandradasaUWL Chandradasa

Disaster Management Disaster Management CentreCentre

Disaster Management Disaster Management CentreCentre

Establishment of the DMC Establishment of the DMC and its Activitiesand its Activities

Establishment of the DMC Establishment of the DMC and its Activitiesand its Activities

Disaster Management Disaster Management CentreCentre

Disaster Management Disaster Management CentreCentre

Report

Sri Lankan Parliament Select Committee on Natural Disasters

Sri Lankan Parliament SelectCommittee on Natural Disasters – bi-Partisan Committee •Delebarated and Maderecommendations Towardsachieving a safer Sri Lanka

•Guided legislative and Policy efforts

Legislative Legislative BackgroundBackground

Tsunami (2004), floods and landslides (2003) and various small to medium scale disasters over the past few years have brought back into focus the fact that Sri Lanka is a disaster prone country.

Recurrent disasters have caused losses to human lives, property and the environment and eroded development gains.

Need to strengthen all aspects of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) – both proactive risk reduction as well as reactive disaster response mechanisms

Tsunami has reaffirmed the urgent need for a DRM legislation in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Parliament passed the “Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No 13 of 2005.”

Sri Lanka Disaster Management Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act; No.13 of 2005Act; No.13 of 2005

Framework for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in Sri Lanka

Addresses Disaster Management (DM) holistically, leading to a policy shift from response based mechanisms to a proactive approach

Establishment of Institutional and Legislative framework for DRM

National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM) and Disaster Management Centre (DMC) established in accordance with the Act.

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 (7)

Opposition MPs (5)

National Council for Disaster Management

Chair Person: H.E. President

Vice Chairman: Hon. Prime Minister

Opposition Leader

Minister of Disaster Management

Ministers in charge of

DRM Institutional Framework in Sri DRM Institutional Framework in Sri LankaLanka

- National Level- National Level

DMC

Provincial Councils

District Secretariats

Local Authorities

Divisional Secretariats

Grama Niladaries

Village Task Forces

Line Departments

(Activities will be coordinated through Disaster Management Coordinators)

DRM Institutional Framework in Sri DRM Institutional Framework in Sri LankaLanka

- Sub national Level- Sub national Level

Disaster Management Centre (DMC)

Vision:

Safer communities and sustainable development in Sri Lanka

The Broad Mission

To create a culture of safety among communities and the nation at large through systematic management of natural, technological and man-made disaster risks

Organizational Structure Organizational Structure Disaster Management CentreDisaster Management Centre

Disaster Management Centre(Director General)

National Consultants

Personnel & Administration

Branch(Deputy Director)

Media Unit(Deputy Director)

Finance Branch(Deputy Director)

National Emergency Operation

Centre

(Director)

Training, Education & Public

AwarenessUnit

(Director)

Preparedness Planning

Unit

(Director)

Forecasting, Early warning

& Dissemination

Unit

(Director)

Disaster Management Technology,

Mitigation Unit

(Director)

District Emergency Operation Centres(DRM Coordinators)

Disaster Management Assistants

Intermediate & Local Levels

National Level

Tech. Com.

Tech. Com.

Tech. Com.

Tech. Com.

Tech. Com.

National Level

Main Activities of the DMC

Disaster Management Technology,

Long-term Mitigation & DRR Early Warning Emergency Operations in case

of a disaster Preparedness Planning

(National and Other levels) Training, Education &

Public Awareness

How to enforce, coordinate and monitor activitiesThrough countrywide

• ministries, • departments • public corporations, • Provincial Councils • local authority administration; • District secretaries • Divisional secretaries • Grama Niladhari administration

Hazards that come under the purview of DMC

• Floods• Tornadoes,

Lightening strikes and Severe Thunder Storms

• Landslides• Tsunami • Earthquakes• Coastal Erosion• Epidemics

• Chemical Accidents• Radiological

Emergency• Oil Spills• Nuclear Disaster• Industrial Hazards• Urban and Forest Fire

• Explosions• Air Raids• Civil or Internal Strife

Agencies Involved in the DRM activities

• DMC• Atomic Energy Authority• Colombo Municipal Council• Central Environmental

Authority• Ceylon Electricity Board• Coast Conservation Dept• Dept. of Agriculture• Fire Service Dept.• Irrigation Dept.• Mahaweli Authority• Health Sector Agencies• Dept. of Meteorology• Ministry of Finance & Planning• Urban Development Authority• National Planning Department• Department of Social Services• NARA• NBRO

• National Institute of Education

• SL Army• SL Navy• SL Air Force• Sri Lanka Telecom• SLIDA, CHPB, SLILG• Survey Dept• Water Supply and Drainage

Board• NGOs, SL Red Cross Society• Universities• NSF• RDA, PRDAs• UNDP / UN Agencies• District / Divisional

Secretariats• Provincial Councils & LAs

Disaster Risk Management Approach by DMC

Developing a Road Map Through consultativeprocess which is the Guide for DRM activities in the countryfor next 10 years

– for donors as well as

other stakeholders

Areas covered

NDM Policy, Mandate & Institutional

DevelopmentHazard, Vulnerability and Risk AssessmentMult-Hazard Early Warning System Planinig for Disaster Preparedness and

ResponseDisaster Mitigation and Integration in to

DevelopmentCommunity Based DRMPublic Awareness , Education & Training

Establishment of Early Warning Centre

Tsunami

Multihazard

Development of Prepared Plan

Establish 24/7 Emergency Operating Centre

Disaster Response Activities

Community Based Disaster Preparedness Programme

15 District Disaster Management Coordinators to liaise and coordinate with Chief Secretaries, District Secretariats, Divisional Secretaries, Police and Forces, Local Authorities and Grama Niladaries, Civil Societies etc.

Coordinate and implement Community Based Awareness Programme, Capacity Building, Risk Reduction, Community Contingency Plans & Evacuation from vulnerable areas.

DMC will initially focus on Tsunami affected districts and gradually concentrate in other vulnerable districts to hazards such as floods, cyclones, landslides, dam safety, droughts etc.

DMC will serve as the national focal point and coordinating body for all

International fora related to disaster risk reduction;

Initiatives of development and donor agencies and

NGOs and INGOs

Coordination with International agencies &

NGOs

Present & Future Activities of DMC

Conducting Awareness Programmes at national and district levels

Community based Disaster Preparedness Programme

Formulation of National Day on Disaster Management

Establishment of Emergency Operation Centres & Resource Network at provincial and district levels

Development of National Disaster Management Plan and National Emergency Operation Plan

Preparation of Preparedness and Response plans at agency, PC, LA, Districts, Divisional and GN levels

Awareness Programmes at National and District levels – contd..

TV documentary films named “Tsunami” and “Kumarilage Kathawa” to be shown on Rupavahini.

District Disaster Management Coordinators are conducting awareness programmes in villages in Hambantota, Matara, Galle, Kalutara, Colombo, Gampaha, Puttlam and Ampara

Printing and distributing one million leaflets on Tsunami.

NSF is planning to conduct School Awareness Programmes in all Tsunami affected districts.

NSF launched a book on Tsunami – “Muhuda Kaluwuna”.

NSF has telecast a Video films on Tsunami. NSF is planning to develop 7 video films on

Disasters.

Disaster Preparedness & Response Plans at other levels

At District, Division & GN levels At Municipal Councils, Urban

Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas At National Ministries & Provincial

Councils In departments In schools In communities