A ripple in development? - Channel Research

Tsunamis present a relatively rare hazard for Sri Lanka. Floods,
landslides, and cyclones present far more common hazards, although
they are generally limited to specific geographical areas. As well as work
with coastal communities, there has also been far more limited work
with communities exposed to flood and landslide hazards.
One could argue that the shock of the tsunami led to greater willingness
not only to sign up to the Hyogo Framework for Action 75 , but
also to implement it. The tsunami led people everywhere who lived on
the coast to wonder: “Can it happen here?”. 76
Interestingly, while the percentage of respondents indicating that
they were worried to an extent about natural disaster declined in Sri
Lanka from 81% immediately after the tsunami to 55% four years after,
in Indonesia the percentage of respondents worried about natural disasters
increased from 77% to 91% over the same time period. The reasons
for this are not clear. It may be due to people in Aceh now paying
more attention to natural disasters occurring elsewhere in Indonesia.
These would serve as a reminder of the hazards they face themselves.
During the interviews with the population in Indonesia it became
apparent that the perception of risk has heightened, and it is being discussed
on a regular basis between family members, friends and colleagues.
This indicates that the population is now more aware of risks
than before the Tsunami and also more worried. The population seems
to be following the Government’s initiatives on risk reducing measures
more closely now.
5.5 Risk reduction
The major tsunami risk reduction measure was the banning of construction
of housing in the buffer zone. The size of the buffer zone in
Sri Lanka was significantly reduced after the 2005 elections. Other
planning activities on risk reduction include new building regulations
for housing in landslide prone areas.
In Sri Lanka there has also been some attention to river basin risks,
and a there is a large project looking at river protection works for the
most troublesome rivers.
The buffer zones represented a major attempt to reduce disaster
risk through physical planning. In Indonesia buffer zones were identified
just after the Tsunami. However, pressure from those wanting to rebuild
meant that the ideal was quickly shelved. Given that the planning restrictions
were set aside or moderated in response to public pressure, it is
surprising that the survey found so many supported the buffer zone.
75
ISDR. (2005). Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities
to Disasters: Extract from the final report of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction:
18–22 January 2005, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. Geneva: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.
The Framework is the predominant policy framework ratified by practically all members of the UN.
76
Ikelman, J. (2007, 03 October). There and Back Again: Old Tsunami Data Come Full Circle.
Retrieved 20 November 2008
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