Communities and infrastructure in Sri Lanka destroyed by the 2004 Asian Tsunami have been rebuilt. Sturdier national roads, coastal highways, and access roads—now more resilient to climate change—are in place to help hasten recovery from the disaster. Basic public services have been restored as have people’s livelihoods.
Villages and communities that saw their livelihoods and homes destroyed in the 2004 Asian Tsunami now enjoy restored basic services, infrastructures, and livelihoods. Important infrastructures like national roads, coastal highways, and access roads are now in place to help hasten recovery from the disaster.
The poor are the most vulnerable in the event of a disaster, much more so when it is the scale of the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Off a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, the tsunami crashed through the coasts of Bengal, Andaman Sea, and Indian Ocean. On its path, among many others, are Sri Lanka’s east and south coasts.
What ensued were large-scale damage and destruction to people’s lives, homes, livelihoods, and infrastructure. More than 35,000 perished, and another 500,000 lost their homes and livelihoods. About 75% of the affected were from the poor and lower income tiers. More than 1 million people living in the vicinity were indirectly affected through loss of economic activity and access to basic services. After a joint assessment with the World Bank, the United Nations, the Japan Bank on International Cooperation, and ADB on the scale and nature of damage after the tsunami, it was estimated that the tsunami-related reconstruction cost is over $1.5 billion.
Interventions
After the Government of Sri Lanka, through the Reconstruction and Development Agency, and ADB assessed the affected areas, the Rebuilding and Recovery After the Asian Tsunami (TAARP) was developed to support Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts. With cofinancing from the Asian Tsunami Fund, European Commission, Agence Francaise de Developpement, Government of the Netherlands, TAARP was designed to accelerate economic recovery by establishing legal identities and rights of the affected people, re-establishing livelihoods, restoring access to basic services, reconstructing damaged infrastructure.
Results
Legal assistance, governance, and anticorruption. Some 23,000 received legal assistance and 6,800 persons received new or replacement identity documents while 5,600 children were brought under the protection of the National Child Protection Authority and child-based court procedures. Judicial and child protection agencies enhanced their capacities through a training program for magistrates and judges. Some 35,000 also trained on anticorruption practices.
North east coastal community development. Three hundred twenty-two villages now have improved access to basic services. Some 22 markets, 20 agricultural and handicrafts training facilities, and 85 storage and repair facilities for fishermen’s societies were constructed to help restore livelihoods.
A total of 2,466 women received skills training and support in developing enterprises and 120 women’s rural development societies (WRDSs), with a total of 7,800 members, were established. WRDSs received an equivalent of US$15,000 start-up grant, and many have increased this to $30,000–40,000 in savings, which they then use to provide microfinance for their members.
Road rehabilitation and reconstruction. A total of 330 kilometers (km) of national roads were reconstructed and improved while 34 km of provincial roads were rebuilt. A population of around 5 million in the Eastern, Southern, and Uva provinces directly benefited from such connectivity.
Water Supply and Sanitation. Thirteen small and medium water supply schemes were expanded while 9 community-based schemes and 571 common wells were constructed. In addition, 52 rainwater tanks were built in the Trincomalee District.
Southern Province Reconstruction. The project supported reconstruction in 125 villages and provided shelters for about 3,000 families. Through the project, 46 local government buildings or secretariats were rehabilitated; 306 sections of damaged roads repaired; plus 7 community centers, 4 bus stations, and 10 bus stands built. Eleven WRDSs were established for vulnerable groups (women based-initiatives). Also constructed were 14 markets, 5 cooperative society buildings, 18 institutional buildings (including 5 hospital wings), 3 education offices, 4 preschool buildings, 2 sports centers, and 4 staff quarters.
Coastal Resources Management. Twelve major coastal stabilization structures were repaired, heightened, and lengthened; 2 fisheries harbours were reconstructed (8 had been identified in the original scope but 6 were rebuilt using funds from other donors); 6 fishing villages received new storage, repair, and office facilities; 9 km of local access roads were repaired; and the Coastal Conservation Department office in Matara was constructed.
Rural Finance. At completion, microfinance was provided to 7,750 beneficiaries (4,650 female and 3,100 male recipients).