The Sri Lanka Tsunami Experience

Evergreen State College

“…The tsunami was traveling at speeds up to 800 km/hr (500 mi/hr) and struck Sri Lanka almost 2.0-2.5 hours after the earthquake (Marshall 2005;Yamada, Gunatilake et al 2006;Gracin, Desprats et al 2008). …”

“…The victims were able to be transported via helicopters once the military arrived (Yamada, Gunatilake et al 2006). …”

“…By the second day the president of Sri Lanka had declared a state of emergency, and within three hours of the declaration, the Japanese, Indian, and Pakistani governments had sent relief groups in to help with the devastation. (Yamada, Gunatilake et al 2006). …”

“…These local citizens were able to begin volunteering before the government was able to organize and activate their emergency response (Yamada, Gunatilake et al 2006). Shelters were provided at temples, churches, and mosques and the volunteer citizen groups assisted in searching for those missing and managing those that were dead, transporting individuals to emergency services; still others collected and managed the donations and relief aid that came in from the neighboring villages and communities (Yamada, Gunatilake et al 2006). Once the international aid organizations arrived, they brought basic food necessities and tablets to provide potable water.…”

“…Many of the researchers found that the local community members were the ones to provide the much needed aid, be it water, food, clothing, shelter, or the search for victims and the burial of bodies. It was the surrounding communities that provided the most support to the victims (Yamada, Gunatilake et al 2006). …”