US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO156

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000156 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
STATE FOR TSUNAMI TASK FORCE 1 
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE 
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA 
TSUNAMI RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM 
 
SIPDIS 
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS 
DCHA BUREAU FOR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ROGER WINTER 
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD 
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN 
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER 
GENEVA FOR USAID KYLOH 
ROME PASS FODAG 
NSC FOR MELINE 
CDR USPACOM FOR J3/J4/POLAD 
USEU PASS USEC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, AEMR, PREL, PGOV, CE, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA - EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMIS: 
USAID/DART SITREP #8 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  As of January 18, according to the Center for 
National Operations (CNO), the earthquake and tsunamis 
had killed 30,922 people in Sri Lanka.  The U.S. 
Military hopes to transition water distribution duties 
in Galle to the Galle Water Board by January 25.  The 
U.S. Military continues to work on school debris 
cleaning in Galle and plans to complete the cleaning 
by January 25.  Several donors are planning a 
verification trip to Trincomalee in early February 
2005.  Between January 4 and January 18, the U.S. 
Military completed or initiated 73 requests for 
assistance.  The USAID/DART Water and Sanitation 
Officer (WSO) reported that sanitation is a priority 
need.  End summary. 
 
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Death Tolls 
---------------------------- 
 
2.  The CNO, which is responsible for the overall 
coordination of the relief effort in Sri Lanka, 
reports that as of January 18 at 1630 hours local 
time, the earthquake and tsunamis had killed 30,922 
people, injured 15,196 residents, displaced 437,482 
persons, completely damaged 78,126 houses, and 
partially damaged 40,841 houses.  Currently there are 
5,565 persons missing.  According to the CNO, there 
are 370 camps housing displaced persons.  On January 
17, the General and Public Security Ministry (GPSM) 
reported that the death toll was 30,925; however, the 
USAID/Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has 
confirmed that the GPSM was double-counting deaths. 
 
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Catholic Relief Services - Activities in Batticaloa 
District 
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3.  According to the USAID/DART, USAID/Office of U.S. 
Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) implementing 
partner Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has contributed 
to the development of the temporary shelter strategy 
that is being submitted for ratification to the 
Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) by the U.N. High 
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  The model 
temporary shelter unit constructed by CRS at their 
office in Colombo has been used by UNHCR, in 
demonstrations to the GOSL, to illustrate the proposed 
provision of 20 square meter framed units. 
 
4.  In Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka, CRS has 
erected temporary shelter units as well as short-term 
emergency shelters.  The demonstration unit adjacent 
to the CRS partner office utilizes a timber frame plus 
several different types of roofing materials, 
including metal sheeting, corrugated weatherized 
tarpaper, and clay tiles. The sidewall enclosure uses 
cajan or woven coconut leaf matting.  A similar unit 
with a clay tiled roof and cajan matting has been 
erected on the first relocation site in the division 
of Aryanpaty, an urban infill site. The District 
Superintendent and the District technical team have 
inspected and approved this model. 
 
5.  To date, the local authorities have identified 14 
sites for use as possible transit locations, and CRS 
has been undertaking site visits to assess their 
suitability and to begin site surveys and preliminary 
site planning.  Local procurement is underway for the 
first tranche of materials, to ensure rapid delivery 
of the supplies (avoiding the need for intermediate 
warehousing) and to enable localized quality control. 
 
6.  In Ampara, CRS has erected demonstration units and 
is focusing on divisions in the northern part of 
Ampara District.  Coordination among shelter agencies 
in Ampara is not as advanced as in Batticaloa, but 
according to CRS, shelter coordination meetings in the 
next few days should provide greater clarity for 
temporary shelter activities.  The CRS team has been 
working with the local authorities to identify smaller 
areas of land within the unrestricted urban zone to 
enable relocation activities to start on a small scale 
at least.  CRS has established a warehouse and started 
the localized procurement of materials for the first 
100 units. 
 
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Situation in Galle 
--------------------- 
 
7.  According to the USAID/DART Logistics Officer (LO) 
located in Galle, the Galle Water Board stated that it 
has the capacity to produce 18,000 cubic meters of 
clean drinking water per day, but it does not have the 
ability to transport the water to all necessary 
locations.  However, the Maltese Order will provide 
four water trucks that can hold a capacity of 4.5 
cubic meters each to the Galle Water Board, and this 
should fill the transportation need.  These trucks 
will also be able to pump water.  Until the water 
trucks arrive, the Galle Water Board plans to use 
portable water bladders in the back of trucks. 
According to the USAID/DART LO, the first water truck 
donated by the Maltese Order will arrive on January 19 
and will be operational on January 20.  The remaining 
three trucks will arrive in two to three day 
increments. 
 
8.  The U.S. Military continues water distributions in 
Hikkaduwa but hopes to be able to transition these 
duties to the Galle Water Board by January 25.  The 
USAID/DART LO reported that the Galle Water Board is 
currently reviewing plans to take over water 
distribution, but anticipates that they may not be 
able to fill all water needs.  For example, the 
USAID/DART LO stated that the Government of Sri Lanka 
(GOSL) plans to move those residents that reside 
within 100 meters of the coastline to temporary 
shelters.  The GOSL is trying to find land to build 
between 5,000 and 6,000 temporary shelters, and the 
Galle Water Board does not believe that it will be 
able to meet the demand for water for those internally 
displaced persons (IDPs) who will be located in these 
temporary shelters.  [Note:  The USAID/DART LO stated 
that the U.S. Military hopes to obtain a firm date for 
the transition of water distribution services to the 
Galle Water Board within 24 hours.  End Note.] 
 
9.  The USAID/DART LO reported that water testing has 
occurred at wells in schools; however the water has 
been deemed acceptable for washing but not for 
drinking.  If well-cleaning and chlorination occurs, 
the water will be acceptable for drinking.  The 
Austrian Military will be responsible for cleaning 
some of these wells. 
 
10.  CHF International plans to construct one 
prototype semi-permanent shelter in an internally 
displaced person (IDP) center on January 18 or 19. 
[Note: The USAID/DART LO will follow-up and attempt to 
obtain further information and pictures of the 
construction of these shelters and materials used. 
End Note.] 
 
11.  The U.S. Military will continue to conduct school 
debris clearing and plans to complete the clearing by 
January 25.  On January 19, a coordinated effort to 
construct temporary latrines at schools began within 
Galle District.  The U.S. Military, with materials 
provided by the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and 
World Vision, will construct the foundations.  A total 
of 40 latrines (each latrine includes one male and one 
female unit) will be constructed for a total of 80 
toilets. 
 
12.  According to the USAID/DART LO, the Deputy 
Provincial Directors of Health Services (DPDHS) office 
in Galle will conduct water quality investigations in 
Galle District.  Public Health Inspectors for Galle 
District will conduct chlorination and microbiological 
investigations at the distribution and storage levels. 
The Austrian Military is responsible for well 
chlorination in Galle and Habaraduwa, and Technicsches 
Hilfswerk (THW) will conduct well chlorination in 
Galle and Hikkaduwa. 
 
13.  As of January 18, there are 48 IDP centers within 
Galle District, housing 6,092 people. 
 
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Donor Coordination 
----------------------- 
 
14.  On January 18, the USAID/DART attended the weekly 
bi-lateral donors meeting hosted by the United 
Kingdom's Department for International Development 
(DFID).  Attendees included representatives from the 
United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, the European Union, 
New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, 
Belgium, France, Canada, and Japan.  Meeting 
participants discussed an upcoming verification trip 
by several bilateral donors, coordination with the 
U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 
Affairs' (OCHA) recently arrived Humanitarian 
Information Center (HIC), and bilateral input into the 
ongoing international financial institutions (IFI) 
sector assessments. 
 
15.  Several donors including the United Kingdom, 
Belgium, Holland, and Norway plan to undertake a 
verification trip to Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka 
in early February 2005 in order to assess issues such 
as equity in the distribution of relief supplies, 
unmet needs and other information related to bilateral 
planning.  Regarding coordination, responsibility for 
the bilateral donor spreadsheet (now being maintained 
by the Australians) will transfer to the HIC. 
Finally, the group discussed bilateral input for the 
IFI sector assessments that are now underway. 
According to the USAID/DART, the group is concerned 
that the IFIs are anxious to complete sector 
assessments and in their haste may pay less attention 
to such concerns as the peace process, 
decentralization, transparency, and governance in 
developing response programs. 
 
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Coordination with the U.S. Military 
------------------------------------ 
 
16.  According to the USAID/DART LO posted to the CNO, 
the U.S. Military will transport 10 metric tons (MT) 
of produce to Jaffna on January 19 for camp residents 
in Jaffna.  On January 20, the U.S. Military will 
transport 10 MT of produce to Batticaloa.  On January 
21 and 22, the U.S. military will transport 20 MT. 
 
17.  On January 18, the U.S. Military, in conjunction 
with the Indian Army, airlifted by helicopter 50 cases 
of bottled water, 1,200 paper towels, 204 20-liter 
water containers, 200 mattresses, and clothing to 
Koggala in Galle District. 
18.  Between January 4 and January 18, the U.S. 
Military completed 58 flights carrying relief supplies 
within Sri Lanka.  The U.S. Military has completed or 
initiated 73 requests for assistance, including the 58 
flights of relief supplies, as well as requests for 
water distribution, engineer support, and rubble 
clearance. 
 
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Water and Sanitation 
---------------------- 
 
19.  According to the USAID/DART Water and Sanitation 
Officer (WSO), water tankering will continue until all 
repairs, including well cleaning, are completed.  To 
date, 3,500 of 12,000 wells have been cleaned.  The 
earthquake and tsunamis destroyed 10 urban water 
supply systems, but restoration of all the systems was 
completed within four days.  At a water and sanitation 
sector meeting, the Ministry of Urban Development and 
Water Supply (MUDWS) distributed a list of immediate 
requirements including alum, water meters, mini- 
excavators, engine-driven portable well-cleaning 
equipment, and portable generators.  USAID/OFDA 
implementing partner World Vision has already provided 
alum. 
 
20.  The USAID/DART WSO reported that sanitation is a 
priority need, but inaccurate information about needs 
is being disseminated.  To verify needs in the water 
and sanitation sector, from January 21 to 25, the 
USAID/DART WSO will meet with local government 
officials as well as USAID/OFDA implementing partners 
in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Hambamtota, 
Matara, and Galle. 
 
21.  The USAID/DART WSO stated that UNICEF is 
attempting to create a district profile database that 
will provide an overview of needs for each district. 
 
22.  In February 2005, the National Water Supply and 
Drainage Board, in conjunction with the U.N. World 
Health Organization (WHO), will conduct training for 
water quality testing of wells and community water 
systems.  Testing of these systems will commence on 
March 15. 
 
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Shelter 
-------------------- 
 
23.  On January 17, the USAID/DART hosted the second 
weekly shelter meeting with implementing partners 
GOAL, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), CHF 
International, and Shelter for Life.  The group 
discussed the new indicators that were developed by 
USAID and agreed to minor modifications that will be 
circulated to other implementing partners for their 
input.  These indicators will allow the USAID/DART to 
have a solid basis for tracking temporary shelter 
progress as well as progress on other activities 
(relief supplies, cash-for-work, and micro-finance 
activities etc.). 
 
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USAID/DART Staffing 
--------------------- 
 
24.  As of January 20, there are 13 members of the 
USAID/DART in Sri Lanka and Maldives.  Of the 12 
USAID/DART members, one individual is in Galle and 
another team member is in Male', Maldives. 
LUNSTEAD