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Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Update

 

March 16, 2005

 

Note: New content has been inserted in red, italicized, bold font.

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2-4

Indonesia.....................................page 5-11

Sri Lanka......................................page 12-17

Thailand.......................................page 18-21

Overview

 

·      Search and rescue operations for the December 26 tsunami are largely over. The overall focus of attention is relief, recovery, and rehabilitation. The death toll from tsunamis triggered by an undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, is some 295,000 people along the coastal areas of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean.

 

·      Tsunami-related deaths were recorded in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life is particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. The toll for the dead and missing in Indonesia climbed to more than 235,000, with tens of thousands still unaccounted for. The death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 30,000 and is expected to go higher. In India, at least 10,672 died in Tamil Nadu State and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The death toll on Thailand’s west coast climbed to 5,400, including some 1,765 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have been reported in the other countries.

 

·      Preliminary costs are: Indonesia – US$4.5 billion, Sri Lanka - US$3.5 billion, India - US$2 billion, Thailand - US$235 million and Maldives - US$1.3 billion. The world’s largest reinsurer, Munich Re, estimates the total cost of the disaster will exceed US$13.6 billion. On February 16, UN Assistant Secretary General Hafiz Pasha said rebuilding the affected areas would cost some US$10-12 billion dollars over the next three to five years. (Feb-16, AFP) In the four worst-affected countries, namely Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, the economic impact is expected to be manageable. The GDP growth for India is expected to be unaffected. The 2005 projected GDP growth rate now stands at 5.4% for Indonesia; 4.2% for Sri Lanka; and 4.3% for Thailand. According to a joint assessment carried out by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the World Bank (WB), reconstruction cost for areas affected by the disaster is likely to exceed well over preliminary estimates of US$7 billion. Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush senior visited some tsunami-affected countries in February and said at the end of their tour, that some US$11.5 billion was needed for reconstruction.

 

·      Coordination: The UN announced Monday (March 14) an agreement with accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers for 8,000 hours of pro bono work to monitor disbursement of its some US$977 million tsunami relief fund. A website is planned to be set up to allow people to track how the money is spent. (Mar-14, UN)

 

·       Logistics: UNJLC has teams in Banda Aceh, Medan, Jakarta, and Colombo.

 

o      UNJLC has a detailed list of civilian/commercial transportation assets available on its website www.unjlc.org (Feb-3, UNJLC)

 

o      The UNJLC is using Malaysia’s Subang Airport as its regional Humanitarian Air Hub (SHAH). Cargo is airlifted to either Banda Aceh or Medan, or transported for dispatch by ship. UNJLC is expected to soon decide whether the hub should be kept longer.

 

·      Food: Jan Egeland, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, estimates 2 million people are in need of food aid. WFP is currently assisting 1,100,000 people. FAO says overall food availability in the region is adequate to cover needs. The agency is working to rehabilitate fisheries and agriculture.

 

o      The FAO reports that on March 12, a group of 121 fisheries ministers and high-level fisheries officials met at FAO headquarters in Rome and issued a joint declaration stressing the need to rebuild fisheries and aquaculture in a responsible manner and to provide fish workers with protection from future natural disasters and other hazards. (Mar-14, FAO)

 

o      World Food Program (WFP) spokesperson Inigo Alvarez said that a month-long assessment in Aceh found that some 790,000 survivors are still unable to feed themselves and will need food rations for many more months. (Feb-18, AP)

 

o      The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) warned that a build up of excessive fishing capacity must be avoided in tsunami-affected countries. (Feb-21, FAO) The FAO said that the tsunami cost the fishing industries of the 7 hardest hit countries some US$520 million in damages. Some 11,073 fishing boats were destroyed or damaged, 36,325 engines were lost or damaged beyond repair, and 1.7 million units of fishing gear were destroyed. (Feb-17, AP, UNNC)

 

·      Health/Medical: World Health Organization (WHO) officials estimate up to five million people displaced and at risk, with some 750,000 estimated as displaced in Indonesia. WHO estimates 500,000 people were injured. There are scattered reports of diarrhea, malaria, dengue, measles, pneumonia, tetanus and skin infections, but no disease outbreaks.

 

·      Security: A second round of peace talks between the Indonesian government and the rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) ended on a positive note in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, with both sides agreeing to hold a third round of talks in Helsinki on April 12-17. The first round of peace talks was held January 28-29.  However, sporadic clashes between GAM and TNI continue.

 

·       Shelter: On March 8 Aceh Governor Azwar Abubakar said that the GoI will stop building shelters in Aceh and instead focus on making sure existing ones have proper sanitation and clean water. He says that the decision was reached after many survivors indicated that they would rather stay with relatives than in temporary housing.

 

·       Political-Military: Foreign military aid operations are winding down. Majority of national contingents have ceased operating or are in the process of doing so. Germany began withdrawing its 150-strong contingent on March 10 in the first of several phases due to end on March 18. (Mar-10, AFP) US military ended its tsunami relief efforts today (Wednesday, March 16) when the Navy medical ship, the USNS Mercy, sailed out of the region. (Mar-16, Jakarta Post) Only Malaysia plans on remaining engaged beyond mid-March, UNJLC reported earlier.

 

·      Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Monday (March 14) that the government would re-register foreign NGOs before conducting a screening process to decide which of them would be allowed to stay in Aceh or would have to leave by March 26. He said that only organizations linked to the UN or donor countries would be allowed to continue their work. (Mar-10, Reuters, Mar-11, AP)

 

o      Malaysia began crackdown on illegal workers in the country on March 1. UNHCR expressed concern that some asylum seekers and refugees from Aceh may be caught up in the crackdown.

 

·      International Assistance: The UN reported that humanitarian assistance to tsunami-affected countries totaled some US$6.28 billion. The UN says some US$935 million of the some US$977 million promised to meet a UN flash appeal for 6 months has been paid or committed for payments, with private contributions totaling US$63 million. UN says it already has some US$550 million in the bank. (Mar-1, IHT, Feb-25, Reuters) The multinational development banks, namely the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), are also providing US$412 million, US$675 million and US$500 million respectively.

 

o      Paris Club grouping of 19 wealthy nations last week offered to freeze payments of tsunami-affected nations until the end of the year and allow the deferred payments to be repaid over five years with a one-year grace period. (Mar-11, Reuters) Sri Lanka reportedly immediately accepted the offer and said it would lobby to extend the offer to 2006 or 2007. After mulling over the offer, Indonesia on Monday (March 14) said that it would accept the debt moratorium offer. (Mar-14, Xinhua, Tempo Interactive)

 

o         At a meeting in Paris, countries affected by the tsunami disaster and UN experts have agreed on a timetable for an early warning system. The US and Japan will begin providing tsunami warning to countries around the Indian Ocean as a stopgap measure. Under the plan, both the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and Japan’s Meteorological Agency will give out alerts after analysis of quakes in the region. A second step will see tidal movement gauges upgraded, while gauges will be fitted near Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. In the last phase, estimated to be completed by the end of 2006, a regional warning center will be built, with links to a network of gauges and sensors across the region. (Mar-9, BBC)

 

·       Asian Development Bank (ADB) will host a high-level meeting on March 18 at its headquarters in Manila, Philippines aimed at ensuring that funds are delivered quickly and are not misused. (Mar-16, Reuters) ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said the ADB had US$600 million in readily available funding and another US$175 million in reprogrammed funding for tsunami efforts in Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and India. (Feb-8, ADB, JP)

 

o      The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), along with support from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), has pledged some US$145 million for Indonesia’s Aceh province, to be largely spent on children orphaned by the tsunami. (Feb-20, AFP)

 

·       International Development & Relief Organizations: International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies held a forum from March 3-5 in Hong Kong to discuss ways to spend the record US$1.2 billion raised by the Red Cross for the disaster. (Feb-24, AFP)

 

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview …………………………………………………………page 6

 

Sectors……………………………………………………………page 8

Overview: Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Monday (March 14) that the government would re-register foreign NGOs before conducting a screening process to decide which of them would be allowed to stay in Aceh or would have to leave by March 26. He said that only organizations linked to the UN or donor countries would be allowed to continue their work. “The rest, which are not affiliated (with the UN or the donor countries), will be questioned about their (future) contributions to Aceh. We need to be familiar with all the NGOs, their contributions and funding, and how long they plan to stay to complete their humanitarian projects in Aceh,” he said. The European Union has urged the GoI not to bar aid groups from working in the province, while the UN said that Aceh still needed much help beyond the March 26 deadline. Some observers have noted that aid groups have generally not criticized the GoI decision, possibly because of fear of being singled out by immigration officials. (Mar-10, Reuters, Mar-11, AP) The National Police’s Aceh Task Force announced earlier this month that only a limited number of foreigners will be allowed to stay in tsunami-devastated Aceh province.  March 26 is also the deadline that the government had set for foreign militaries doing relief work in Aceh to leave the country.  Some have criticized that the government is retreating back to the stringent pre-tsunami security conditions in Aceh. The Jakarta Post reports that at least 140 NGOs from 83 foreign countries are operating out of Aceh. 

 

The drawdown of foreign militaries continues. Majority of national contingents have ceased operating or are in the process of doing so. Only Malaysia plans on remaining engaged beyond mid-March, UNJLC reported earlier. Germany began withdrawing its 150-strong contingent on March 10 in the first of several phases due to end on March 18. (Mar-10, AFP) US military ended its tsunami relief efforts today (Wednesday, March 16) when the Navy medical ship, the USNS Mercy, sailed out of the region. (Mar-16, Jakarta Post)

 

GoI announced its blueprint for the reconstruction of Aceh province today, with some US$5 billion being allocated for rebuilding over the next five years. Plan expected to be delivered to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this week, however, details were not immediately available to the public. (Mar-16, DPA)

 

Indonesian and German scientists will begin installing a US$60 million tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean by October, ministers from both countries said Monday (March 14).

 

On March 8, Aceh Governor Azwar Abubakar said that the GoI will stop building shelters in Aceh and instead focus on making sure existing ones have proper sanitation and clean water. He says that the decision was reached after many survivors indicated that they would rather stay with relatives than in temporary housing. Survivors had also expressed concerns that the centers were too far from places where people would seek employment. The government had planned to house some 100,000 people in at least 24 temporary centers across the province. It was unclear how many had been built so far. However, in February, the Jakarta Post reported that some 3,281 families, or more than 11,500 people, were moved into more than 300 temporary barracks in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Sigli, North Aceh, Aceh Jaya and West Aceh. GoI had planned on building some 803 semi-permanent barracks to accommodate the displaced for up to two years. Social Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab had said that after construction of the barracks, work would start on a second phase during which some 800,000 houses, each measuring some 387 square feet (36 square meters) would be constructed. Plans had some 30,000 of the houses to be built around Banda Aceh and 10,000 in Calang on the west coast. Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First had expressed concerns that some Acehnese might be forcibly relocated or prevented from returning home. The groups also expressed concerns over the involvement of the military (TNI) in the relocation. (Feb-8, Reuters)

 

The National Disaster Relief Coordinating Board says that the death toll is 126,390. The number of missing has fallen from 93,837 to 93,757. (Mar-16, AP) Aid workers say body collection is expected to get tougher as workers moved into harder to access areas. Some 90 percent of Banda Aceh and the surrounding areas reported to have been checked. (Feb-23, AP) The Associated Press reported that most of the missing are feared dead, but cannot be legally declared so for a year. Officials also say that the figure might mistakenly include people who have fled the area.

 

State Minister for Development Planning, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, said Monday (March 14) that the GoI will accept the offer of a debt moratorium from the Paris Club. The total debt on which repayment will be delayed is US$2.6 billion. (Mar-14, Tempo Interactive) Indonesia has some US$48 billion in foreign debt to donor countries under the Paris Club. (Mar-14, Xinhua) An Indonesian Cabinet team will visit Australia on Thursday (March 17) to discuss how to spend an Australian pledge of some US$787 million to rebuild Aceh. (Mar-16, Reuters)

 

GOI put tsunami/earthquake losses at US$4.5 billion. The Consultative Group on Indonesia, made up of 30 international lenders, pledged US$1.7 billion in tsunami aid for 2005, consisting of US$1.2 billion in grants and US$500 million in soft loans. The aid is in addition to US$3.4 billion donors pledged that will mostly go towards reducing the national deficit. During the international ministerial tsunami meeting in Geneva on January 11, several countries pledged US$900 million for a six-month period to Indonesia. Asian Development Bank (ADB) allocates US$800 million, in addition to tsunami relief. World Bank will provide US$300 million in initial support for Indonesia. (Jan-14, AlertNet) Welfare Minister Alwi Shihab this week said that it was important that the international community keep tabs on donor money pledged to tsunami victims in Aceh province to ensure that rampant corruption does not eat away at pledges. The GoI has so far announced a series of checks and balances to assuage fears of graft. Information Minister Sofyan Djalil says the GOI will set up a “credible” oversight scheme for international aid. American accounting firm of Ernst &Young to audit foreign aid. Welfare Minister Shihab says the government would make official monthly announcements of the amount of aid received and spent.

 

Banda Aceh vicinity: UNJLC is strengthening its links to local government, police and TNI ahead of Jakarta’s declaration that TNI will hand over the lead in operations to civilians on March 26. (Mar-2, UNJLC) UNJLC reports that there are somewhere between 150-200 NGOs in Banda Aceh, of which only some 50 are registered with OCHA and reporting activities on a regular basis. UNJLC says access to some services will soon be restricted to only the organizations registered with UNOCHA. (Feb-23, UNJLC) City returning to some semblance of normalcy.

 

West Coast of Aceh Province/Western Islands: UNICEF assessment found that at least 80 percent of education facilities on Simuelue have been destroyed. (Mar-10, Jakarta Post) Antara news agency reports that the Association of the Simuelue Community in West Sumatra says that hundreds of residents are living in poor conditions due to neglect by the government. (Mar-1, Jakarta Post) A January UN, GOI and US military report says the tsunami destroyed virtually every village, town and roads and bridges along a 170-kilometer (105-mile) stretch of coast that was not more than 10 meters (33 feet) above sea level. An assessment of the western islands off the coast of Sumatra found considerable damage to housing and livelihoods. The west coast of Aceh had a population of about one million in its six regencies, with about 500,000 in the heavily damaged northern three and 500,000 in the southern three.

 

Sri Lanka

 

 

Overview…………………………………………………..page 13

 

Sectors…………………………………………………….page 14

 

Overview: The death toll from the December 26 tsunami is in the 30,000s. The Center for National Operations (CNO) reports 30,974, while the Public Security Ministry reports 38,195. The CNO uses figures provided by government agents, while the Public Security Ministry uses figures provided by the police. The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is using a final toll of around 40,000 for planning purposes in its recovery plan. About 5,600 are still missing from the14 tsunami-affected districts (out of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts).

 

GoSL announced February 21 plans to speed up issuance of death certificates for those missing and presumed dead. Justice Minister John Senevirathne says that the current period of one year before a missing person can be declared dead would be reduced to one month for people who were last seen or heard from on December 26, 2004. (Feb-23, AFP)

 

The total number of IDPs has been raised to about 553,287 after figures from additional districts were compiled and added. Of these, 141,985 are in “welfare centers” and 411,302 are with relatives or friends. There are currently about 315 camps open. GoSL has developed a plan of constructing around 30,000 temporary accommodations over the next 6 months. (Feb.16, UNJLC)

 

Following confirmation from the Paris Club of 19 creditor nations that it would freeze payments from tsunami-affected nations this year, Sri Lanka said that it would lobby for a freeze of its payments until the end of 2006 or 2007.  Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister, Sarath Amunugama, said that reconstruction in Sri Lanka would take from three to five years.  The Paris Club has agreed to allow the deferred payments to be repaid over five years, with a one-year grace period.  The Paris Club had first put together proposals as part of the response to the December 26 tsunami disaster in mid-January.  Sri Lanka and the Seychelles accepted the offer, but other countries, such as India and Thailand, did not.  Sri Lanka reportedly owes the Paris Club some US$4.6 billion in debt stock and interest.

 

Ministry of Finance and Planning said in a statement late last week (March 4) that although GoSL was grateful for donations, it would begin taxing unsuitable aid to discourage donations-- such as winter clothes. (Mar-4, Reuters) UNOCHA reports that the GoSL has appealed to donors to limit consignment to most essential food and medical items. GoSL is also urging aid agencies to procure items locally in Sri Lanka. UNOCHA reports that GoSL recommends current requirements are verified with Sri Lankan Missions abroad or from the Center for Non Governmental Sector of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, before making shipping arrangements. (Mar-1, UNOCHA) Social Services Minister Sumedha Jayasena says that donated goods have far exceeded needs of survivors and so some relief items are being rerouted to the needy. (Feb-25, BBC)

 

News reports say that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) earlier this week have agreed to a Norwegian proposal that would ensure that foreign aid is distributed in rebel-held areas affected by the December 26 tsunami disaster.  According to the Associated Press, the Norwegian Embassy was working with the government and rebels today to reach an agreement on joint reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka.  However, the Sri Lankan government has reportedly not yet responded. (Mar-14, AP)

 

Thousands of residents protested the slow distribution of aid in northeastern Trincomalee earlier this week, blocking transport. Police say main protest was called by the minority Tamil community, while the second largest minority Muslim group staged a strike in nearby Kinniya area. Members of the majority Sinhalese community also staged a smaller protest. (Mar-14, AFP)

 

The LTTE meanwhile, has sent a delegation to Europe to focus on raising funds and other assistance for the tsunami-affected population in the Tamil dominated North and East of the country. Around two-thirds of the victims are reportedly from these areas. The LTTE has accused the GoSL of not providing enough aid for the North and East, a charge which the government denies. (Mar-10, AFP)

 

GoSL says that the Women’s Empowerment and Social Welfare Ministry will soon launch a special program to collect data on NGOs working in the country and to monitor them. Head of the ministry, Sumedha Jaysena, says that the program is a result of reports of NGOs operating with political or religious objectives. (Mar-9, Dailynews)

 

Sri Lanka’s central bank said on February 16 that reconstruction work and foreign aid will more than offset the economic losses suffered during the disaster. The bank revised economic growth for 2005 upwards to around 5.5 percent, which is higher than the 4.0 percent forecast by the International Monetary Fund. The bank says that fisheries and tourism had already begun a recovery. (Feb-18, AFP)

 

World Bank doubled its commitment to relief in Sri Lanka from US$75 million to US$150 million in emergency credits and grants. Asian Development Bank announced that it would reallocate US$7 million from Rural Financial Sector Development Program to an emergency micro-credit program. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board earlier this week approved some US$157.5 million for Sri Lanka. (Mar-9, IMF)

 

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has said that 400,000 have lost their jobs or sources of income. Worst hit industries have been the fishing, hotel and tourist industries.

 

Information on many NGO activities can be obtained from the following link: http://www.humanitarian-srilanka.org/ (under Tsunami 2004 Information Center)

 

Sector Status
Affected Population	About 553,287 people remain displaced; with 141,985 in camps or public buildings as many return to damaged homes or move in with family. WFP foresees the number of beneficiaries for February to be 845,000, and increase from its January figure of 750,000. This figure is likely to fall to about 650,000 in March. Nearly 72,000 children and 2,700 teachers affected. More than 1,000 children were orphaned and at least 3,600 lost one parent. (Mar-9, DPA)
Coordination	On February 4th the Centre for National Operations (CNO) handed over responsibilities of continuing its main functions of collating and analyzing data, coordinating and facilitating relief measures connected to healthcare, education, foreign donor assistance and food relief. The Task Force for Relief (TAFOR), headed by Mr. Thilak Ranaviraja, the Commissioner General for Election Services (CGES), will directly assume these responsibilities. TAFOR will be based and managed from the Ministry of Defense. Another task force, Task Force for the Reconstruction of the Nation (TAFREN), has been given responsibility of spearheading reconstruction, assessing the damages, and coming up with a master plan to rebuild infrastructure. Food relief will be channeled through the Ministry for Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation (RRR) together with CGES. Responsibilities connected to IDPs, Transit Camps, and liaison with the District Secretaries will be the task of the CGES. (Feb-9, UNJLC)   UNJLC reports a working group of UNHCR, IOM, OCHA, UNJLC and TAFOR are addressing coordination and logistics. (Feb. 16, UNJLC)   WFP is sending more monitors in an effort to abolish any corruption in the government system. World Bank President James D. Wolfenson stressed it would be imperative that Sri Lanka puts in place quick measures to monitor the large amount of funds that are flowing into the country. President Kumaratunga assured that the GoSL has already put in place mechanisms for the General Treasury to follow accepted fiscal procedure in the use of these donations. (Feb-10)   UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team established an operations center at the Ministry of Public Security, Law, and Order and is working to coordinate emergency assessments and reports. UN-agencies (WFP, UNHCR, IOM and UNICEF) have to set up regional offices in Galle. Logistic Operations Centers (LOCs) has been set up in Batticaloa and Kilinochchi.   Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) is posting on its website the weekly meeting schedules of UN agencies, NGOs, and government agencies in Colombo and Batticaloa districts. (Mar-1, UNOCHA)   For information on IDP camps, injured, mission, deaths, and, schools, hospitals, houses and roads and bridges damaged, as well as spreadsheets with the amounts and sorts of relief goods that have been distributed, check the CNO website at http://www.cnosrilanka.org/ The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation’s website, www.mrrr.lk contains additional information.
Logistics	GoSL has reportedly issued a series of measures to accelerate customs clearances of relief goods (Mar-9, UNJLC)   UNJLC report, “Comprehensive Road Network Assessment of the Tsunami Struck Areas in Sri Lanka” completed and available at www.unjlc.org. (Feb-23, UNJLC)   UNHAS setting up office at Ratmalana airport for air operations. Set to become focal point of air operations. (Feb.16, UNJLC)   There is a UN On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) and UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) presence in the capital Colombo. The UNJLC is assisting with internal transport, logistics, operational Civil Military Coordination. UNJLC component has expanded to include customs, air coordination, commodity tracking and general logistics staff. The UNJLC also runs the Logistics Operations Center (LOC) which has been tasked to coordinate logistics operations of UN agencies and assists humanitarian relief agencies and NGOs in acquiring transport for the movement of humanitarian relief cargo out of Colombo.   IOM has trucks available for lending to agencies and NGOs. UNJLC is coordinating requests for these. (Feb-9, UNJLC)   There is no shortage of transport in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, or Jaffna, but passes are required for traveling. In the north, the general infrastructure of roads, railways, and bridges is in serious need of rehabilitation. (Feb-9, UNJLC)
Food	WFP says it will start a school feeding program in April for some 120,000 children, in addition to the 165,000 children who were already enrolled. (Mar-9, Dailynews)   WFP will begin distribution of corn-soya blended food to 200,000 vulnerable people and to 112,000 mothers and infants. (Mar-9, Dailynews)   WFP reports that more than 90 percent of beneficiaries have now been issued coupon cards by the GoSL that enable them to receive allotments of food and cash. (Mar-1, UNOCHA)   WFP announced the food pipeline has essentially been secured until end of March, but it is expected that many families will begin to be able to support themselves again by the end of February. (Feb-4, OCHA)
Water and Sanitation	6019 of some 12,000 contaminated wells have been cleaned so far. Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply reports that some 16,000 temporary toilets need to be constructed at IDP camps. (Feb-23, WHO)
Public Health and Medical	UNICEF says some 5 to 10 percent of child survivors remain traumatized. (Mar-7, DPA)   WHO is the lead agency in facilitating health sector coordination issues through the Ministry of Health and Nutrition (MOH). (Feb-10, WHO) WHO reports no disease outbreaks but concerns remain due to displacement and movement of people. (Feb-4, OCHA)   All hospitals are functioning. Three basic public health laboratories are established in Kalmunai, Batticoloa, and Ampara to diagnose epidemic-prone diseases and to test water quality. In Ampara and Batticaloa districts, 37 different agencies are offering psychosocial support. (Feb-4, WHO)
Shelter	UNHCR Ampara has initiated a pilot project with its key shelter implementing partner, the Rural Development Foundation, to build some 42 shelters with locally purchased materials. (Mar-1, UNOCHA)   GoSl has launched the Transitional Accomodation Project (TAP) program to construct some 20,000 to 30,000 temporary housing units. (Feb-23, Daily News)   The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that it has so far provided shelters for some 7,885 people and plans to assist 31,460 more in Sri Lanka. (Feb-18, IOM)   Immediate needs are being met by 315 camps, schools, places of worship, and other public buildings. A total of 155 schools are being used as temporary shelters for displaced families. IDPs continue to leave camps, reportedly because they are concerned that they could lose their land.
Infrastructure	WFP says that in May or April it will assist some 277,000 people in rebuilding roads and infrastructure. WFP will also work with IOM, and FAO to help debris-clearing and to rebuild homes. (Mar-9, Dailynews)   Some 260 schools were destroyed and 170 others damaged or being used for IDP camps. (Mar-7, DPA)   Mano Tittawella, senior advisor to President Kumaratunga and head of the reconstruction task force, announced a three-year plan to rebuild the country. Around sixty percent of the US$1.8 billion plan will target LTTE-controlled areas with fisheries and small businesses as the main focus. The plan is separate from another US$1.4 billion aid scheme that will focus on infrastructure needs over the next decade. (Feb-11, AFP)   Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse said it is estimated that nearly 100,000 new houses would have to be built due to the tsunami. (Feb-14, Daily News)   ICRC through the Danish Red Cross Society and American Red Cross have a long-term plan to support Sri Lanka in rehabilitation/reconstruction of the public health facilities. (Feb-10, WHO) UNICEF is also supporting the GoSL for the reconstruction and renovation of damaged health facilities.
Security	On February 11, GoSL extended by a month a state of emergency in tsunami-hit areas to give wide powers to security forces to carry out relief operations.   UNHCR and UNICEF are doing a rapid protection assessment in the East, North and South to determine the preferences of people regarding their relocation. Assessment will be completed by the end of the month. (Mar-1, UNOCHA)   Sri Lanka marked the third anniversary of its longest ceasefire with the liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on February 23 amidst fresh efforts by Norwegian mediator Erik Solheim to restart peace talks between the two sides.

 

Thailand

 

 

 

Overview. ………………………………………………. page 19

 

Sectors……………………………………………………page 19

 

Overview: Thailand is well into recovery and reconstruction. Key issues are environmental, psychosocial and livelihood restoration, ensuring care for vulnerable groups and improving disaster preparedness.

 

Latest official death toll on March 16 was at 5,395 and missing was 3,100. There are about 3,000 unidentified bodies. NGOs and immigration police said toll might be under-reported as at least 2,000 Myanmar migrants may have been killed. Royal Thai Police (under Interior Ministry), and Australian Federal Police heads international task force for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) in Phuket. 460 international forensic experts from more than 20 countries assisting in body identification. The bodies of the remaining foreign tsunami victims can be sent home within 3 months, the Public Health Ministry said on March 10. (Mar-11, The Nation) The Thai Tsunami Victims Identification Center in Phangnga province will be closed on March 24 after its work is finished, the Bangkok Post reports. Following the shutdown, only three centers for identifying victims will be left: Bang Maruan morgue, Mai Khao morgue and the Phuket Disaster Victim Identification Center. (Mar-14, Xinhua) Bangkok Post says identification could take up to a year because of technical and other problems. (Mar-16, Bangkok Post)

 

Despite reports of continued drought nationwide, including the south, the Thai Meteorological Department on March 15 said that rain would fall across all regions of Thailand over the next two days, brining relief to one of the country’s worst drought in decades. (Mar-15, TNA)

 

A Japanese seismological team visited the Andaman coast region last week to collect data. (Mar-10, TNA) Another team of Japanese experts arrived in Thailand on Tuesday (March 15) this week to prepare a training program on tsunami warning plans. (Mar-15, TNA)

 

Reports say that more than 1,000 foreign volunteers assisting in tsunami-related work are required to hold work permits, or face legal action, however the Labor Minister’s office has said that was not the case. Other conflicting reports say that the ministry might take action, citing security concerns.

 

Tourism sector expected to sustain largest impact because it contributes 5-6% to the total GDP. Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi contribute about half of Thailand’s tourism revenues. Other provinces have suffered a double-blow to its tourism from the disaster and from fears of insurgency-related violence further south. Tourism and Sports minister Somsak Thepsuthin said Thailand still attempting to reach tourism target of 13 million foreign visitors this year despite damage by the disaster. He says Thais were being offered cheap travel packages to ensure country reached US$9 billion from domestic tourism, in addition to the some US$11.7 billion from foreigners. (Mar-14, TNA)

 

The Royal Thai Navy has designated special zones to provide assistance to tourists in the country’s southern coastal areas, following a government decision to make the Navy responsible for the safety of tourists under a US$1.77 million program. (Mar-11, TNA)

 

The Thai Cabinet on March 1 approved a US$137 million budget for tourism revival projects after slashing the initial amount by some US$107 million. Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula says that the government had so far paid some US$6.25 million in compensation to people affected by the disaster. (Mar-2, The Nation).