US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO616

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000616 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND CA/OCS 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA - THAYER, FLEMING, GARVELINK 
BANGKOK FOR USAID/OFDA - TOM DOLAN 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR, CASC, PHUM, PGOV, CE, MV, Maldives, Tsunami 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA AND MALDIVES:  SWIFT RESPONSE TO 
POTENTIAL TSUNAMI WARNING 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary:  In sharp contrast to the December 26 
earthquake and tsunami that caused devastating loss of life 
in Sri Lanka and Maldives, both governments responded quickly 
and efficiently to the potential for another deadly tsunami 
following the March 28 earthquake off the Indonesian island 
of Sumatra.  Both governments issued public warnings and 
disseminated available information quickly.  Mission staff 
alerted officials in both governments, as well as American 
citizens, to warn them of a possible tsunami.  On the day 
after the March 28 earthquake, when it seemed like the danger 
had passed, people slowly started to breathe again.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Sri Lanka 
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2.  (SBU) In Sri Lanka, it appears that a rudimentary warning 
system, developed after the December 26 tidal wave, 
functioned as hoped following the March 28 earthquake, news 
of which reached Sri Lanka around 11 PM local time.  Upon 
notification from the State Operations Center, the Embassy 
immediately contacted the Foreign Minister, who in turn 
contacted President Kumaratunga.  The Government of Sri Lanka 
(GSL) Geological Survey and Mine Bureau is the point of 
contact for national disasters.  At the onset of an impending 
problem, the bureau contacts the national police 
communications center, which in turn relays any message to 
its 19 regional communication centers.  Officials at the 
regional communication centers are responsible for contacting 
local police and community leaders to disseminate the 
information. 
 
3. (SBU) Within a short time of the warning being issued by 
the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, local police 
were announcing the warning on loudspeakers as they drove 
through coastal neighborhoods and went door-to-door.  The 
media also played a role by continuously broadcasting the 
warning and carrying President Kumaratunga's midnight 
statement to the public.  According to contacts and media 
reports all along the coast, Sri Lankan citizens heard the 
warnings and -- likely prompted by fear and recent memories 
-- reacted quickly to the news.  Sri Lankans also reached out 
to family and neighbors, calling or visiting to spread the 
warning. 
 
4.  (SBU) Residents in the southern coastal towns of Tangalle 
and Matara heard police announcements on loud speakers and 
radio broadcasts of the warning.  Many also reported hearing 
Foreign Minister Kadirgamar's alert on BBC, in which he 
stated that the U.S. Embassy had contacted him with the news. 
 In the east, as elsewhere, ringing bells from Buddhist 
temples and Christian churches alerted villagers to the 
problem.  In a suburb north of Colombo, residents in coastal 
areas reportedly packed their belongings -- including 
refrigerators and televisions for fear of looting -- and 
drove to higher ground. 
 
5.  (SBU) Thousands -- assisted at times by the police, 
military, and NGOs -- all along Sri Lanka's coast evacuated 
their homes for higher ground.  NGO officials visited 
temporary shelters and an internally displaced persons camp 
in southern Sri Lanka and found them deserted within an hour 
of the warning being issued.  As March 29 dawned without 
incident and the tsunami alert was lifted, residents slowly 
returned home.  A canvassing of local staff at the Embassy 
revealed that many had slept little while the fear of another 
tsunami remained.  There are several unconfirmed reports of 
 
SIPDIS 
people killed as a result of the last night's fear of 
disaster -- one woman died while evacuating her residence and 
three others died in two separate vehicle accidents. 
 
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Maldives 
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6. (SBU) Maldives, which saw one hundred percent of its land 
mass flooded on December 26, also reacted strongly to the 
possibility of another tsunami.  The U.S. Embassy DATT 
immediately alerted the Maldivian National Security Service 
(NSS).  The Government of the Republic of Maldives (GORM) 
issued a public statement telling its citizens not to go near 
the beach.  According to one contact, it was a "difficult 
situation" for the low-lying island nation, and there was 
some confusion in the immediate hours following the GORM's 
warning.  Despite the government message, some people still 
congregated at the dock areas of the capital island of Male' 
to see what was happening.  Dr. Shaheed, the Chief Government 
Spokesman, who is accompanying Maldivian President Gayoom on 
an official visit to India, told poloff that were there 
reports of 5-centimeter swells in the southern part of the 
islands with 20-centimeter swells in the north.  With the 
danger passed, everyone seemed all right, according to 
Shaheed. 
 
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Consular Response 
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7.  (SBU) There have been no reports of American citizens 
harmed or affected by the evacuations on March 28.  Consular 
staff issued a warden's message for both Sri Lanka and 
Maldives, as well as contacting hospitals, larger hotels 
frequented by Westerners, and local travel companies in Sri 
Lanka.  As Sri Lanka's landline and mobile phone systems 
quickly became overwhelmed by the volume of calls, consular 
staff sent text messages via mobile phones to contacts in the 
east -- the region of Sri Lanka hit hardest on December 26. 
Embassy officials also contacted AmCits vacationing in 
Maldives to pass along the warnings. 
 
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Comment 
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8.  (SBU) As both countries regroup after a frightening 
night, the good news is, had there been an earthquake-induced 
tsunami last night, thousands of lives would have been saved 
 
SIPDIS 
due to quick notification from the U.S. and effective 
government performance in getting warnings out to vulnerable 
areas immediately.  End Comment. 
 
 
LUNSTEAD