Dara - HRI

SRI LANKA

Tsunami: the reality four years later

Hnin Nwe

The small fishing community about one hour drive away from Colombo, situated within the administrative boundary of Kalutara district, is one of the villages along the Indian Ocean coast to be hit by the deathly Tsunami in December 2004. The village, when visited today, seems rather normal. A couple of skeletons of damaged buildings scattered along the beach front are the only indications that this place was once a victim of the devastating Tsunami. The then affected population are now living in new houses. The constructions of these houses were sponsored by various humanitarian agencies from Sri Lanka Red Cross Society to Salvation Army as well as by private donors. The inhabitants consider their new dwellings to be of significant improvements to their pre-Tsunami homes.

However, for Shalina, a widow and native of the community, this is not the case. Her post-Tsunami accommodation, a 40x20 square foot house, has gaping holes where there windows and doors are supposed to be. When Tsunami occurred in 2004, the entire family survived but the house was completely damaged. A private company from Colombo paid for the reconstruction of the house. She can not remember exactly which company that was but she remember it was a lady who oversaw the rebuilding. But the funds ran out before the door and window can be properly installed and she did not hear from them again. When requested for help from the relief agencies, they faced difficulty in justifying for assistance since her house was already half built. The aid instead went to those with no houses. Currently, the plastic sheets are put in place of the wooden frames. She did not receive any other assistance apart from that. Since none of her family members were fisher folks, they did not receive supplies such as boats and fishing nets like other villagers.

Her modest size house is neat and comprises of two small bedrooms, one living room and a small dining area. She shares the house with her father, who makes a living out of collecting toddy palm juices; a job that requires climbing up and down palm trees of height 20 feet or more, her paternal grandmother and her 5 year old son who is studying in first grade at the Christian school in the village.

She did not like to talk about it in details but she recalled that it was four days after their new house was completed that her husband passed away. That was one and a half year ago. She used to study at the Christian Girl School in Kalutara and afterwards held a job as a cashier at a bookstore in Kalutara town. But the need to look after the kid and the aging grandmother made her quit the job since around two months ago. She wishes to be able to work again when her son is old enough to take care of himself.

When asked if she is afraid of the sea that another Tsunami might hit, she quietly said that she had no fear because she had lived here in Santa Maria all her life and the sea is a part of her life. Furthermore, she feels quite prepared with regular preparedness information provided by the Sri Lanka military. Regular meetings called by the army talks about what each individual can do if a Tsunami comes. She, however, still expects and hopes for some extra help in the near future. All she wants is to complete her house.