PACIFIC DISASTER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION NETWORK (PDMIN)
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Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami Emergency Update

 

October 27, 2005

 

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

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

Overview......................................page 2-3

Indonesia.....................................page 4-8

Sri Lanka.....................................page 9-13

Thailand.......................................page 14-19

Overview

 

·      The overall focus of attention is on long-term recovery and rehabilitation for the December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The dead and missing toll from tsunamis triggered by the undersea earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale off the west coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island was 232,010 (Jun-22, Reuters) people along the coastal areas of 11 countries in the Indian Ocean. Over 1.7 million are reported to be homeless. Tsunami-related deaths were recorded in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Bangladesh, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya. The loss of life was particularly severe in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Nearly 166,000 dead and missing are from Indonesia’s Aceh province. The dead and missing toll in Sri Lanka climbed to nearly 39,000. In India, at least 10,672 died in Tamil Nadu State and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The death toll in Thailand is around 5,400, including about 1,953 foreigners from at least 36 countries. More than 400 combined deaths have been reported in the other countries.

 

·      Coordination:

 

·    Indian Ocean Earthquake-Tsunami Flash Appeal Expenditure Tracking: http://ocha.unog.ch/ets/Default.aspx

 

·      UN/International Assistance:

 

·          The director of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) international displacement division, Dennis McNamara, says that victims of the tsunami disaster are getting more aid than people caught in other “silent” conflicts and disasters around the world, and donations should be shared by all those in need. (Oct-27, Reuters)

 

·          The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said Wednesday (October 5) that it had received US$1.5 billion dollars for tsunami relief and has pledged full accountability for the sum. (DPA, Oct-5)

 

·          According to a report by the IFRC, many aid agencies wasted money after the disaster by failing to consult with the UN, survivors, or other relief agencies. The annual report, “World Disasters Report 2005” released by the IFRC this week highlighted that despite a huge international response, competition and duplication of effort caused “chaos.” (CNN, Oct-6)

 

·    The UN says that in an unprecedented response, donors have poured more than US$11 billion into relief and reconstruction following the disaster, but are neglecting other emergencies. Egeland says that donors already met around 90 percent of the UN’s own US$1.28 billion appeal for funds for immediate and interim relief. According to Reuters Alertnet, governments, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have paid or approved US$5.7 billion, or some 80 percent of the US$67.1 billion they had promised. (Sep-23, Reuters)

 

·    The United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) exited its tsunami mission on September 30, 2005. (Sep-28, UNJLC) At the request of the Government of Indonesia and the UN Country Team, a UN logistics coordination service, called the UN Logistics Coordination Support (LCS) will be established to provide integrated, multi-modal logistics coordination support to aid groups during reconstruction. (Sept-8, UNJLC)

 

·      Food: WFP is feeding about 500,000 people in Indonesia; in Sri Lanka, about 915,000 people being fed; in Thailand, food assistance provided to some 26,000.

 

·      Health/Medical: WHO estimates 500,000 people were injured. There were scattered reports of diarrhea, malaria, dengue, measles, pneumonia, tetanus and skin infections, but no outbreaks.

 

·      Security: Violence reported in northeast Sri Lanka; Insurgency violence continues in southern Thailand.

Indonesia

 

Organization

 

Overview …………………………………………………………page 5

 

Sectors……………………………………………………………page 5

Overview:

 

The foreign-led peace monitoring mission in Aceh on Tuesday (October 25) said that the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels have agreed to quicken the pace of Indonesian troop withdrawals and rebel disarmament ahead of schedule.  The withdrawal and disarmament is part of a landmark peace agreement signed between the GAM and government.  According to the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM), representatives from the GAM and government met and agreed to complete the third phase of troop withdrawals and rebel weapons handover ahead of schedule in November.  Each of the phases were set to begin around the middle of each month, but the AMM said the third phase should now be completed around November 14.  The latest news is a positive move by both sides towards a lasting peace in the province.  The European Union-led AMM is charged with overseeing the withdrawal of Indonesian troops and the weapons handover of former GAM rebels.  Prompted by the earthquake and tsunami disaster, the government and GAM signed a peace deal on August 15th meant to end 29 years of fighting in the province.  On Monday (October 24) the last batch of some 2,500 troops were withdrawn from Aceh to complete the second phase of the decommissioning and withdrawal.  The latest withdrawal takes the total number of soldiers to have left Aceh since September to 12,000, half of the some 24,000 non-local troops scheduled to leave the province under the peace deal.  The GAM has in return, agreed to hand in its declared weapons by the end of the year.  The GAM has handed in over half of its declared arsenal of 840 weapons thus far.  So far, the disarmament of former GAM rebels and the withdrawal of troops has proceeded without any major setbacks.  Many analysts have said that the peace agreement is probably the best chance yet for a lasting peace in the province, which has seen over 15,000 people killed since the GAM began fighting for independence in 1976. 

 

Sector Status

Affected Population

The death toll stands at 131,029, with some 37,000 others reported to be missing.

 

The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR - Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi) says that there are over 500,000 IDPs in Aceh and over 22,000 in Nias. In Aceh, about 250,000 are staying in tents, while about 150,000 are in temporary government shelters. The remaining 100,000 are either staying with host families or are rebuilding their homes. (Jun-19, GoI)

Coordination

The new UN Recovery Coordinator for Aceh is Eric Morris who will work closely with the BRR and aid groups

 

The BRR will oversee reconstruction.  The agency will be headed by former mines and energy minister Kuntoro Mangkusubroto  (May-9, Reuters, BBC)

 

The BRR has requested that NGOs engaged in rehabilitation and reconstruction to submit progress reports on their ongoing activities. BRR says that it is requiring NGOs to submit their first report by September 16 and the second report by December 2. BRR says NGOs can access guidelines and monitoring forms from www.e-aceh-nias.org (BRR website) or by requesting forms at projects@brr.go.id (Sep-6, GoI)

 

The GoI has collaborated with NGOs and donors to initiate the construction of the website, e-Aceh, in response to the need for transparency and coordination of reconstruction. (www.e-aceh.org)

 

A team of German and Indonesian scientists reportedly set sail on October 11 for Sumatra to begin installing a tsunami warning system. The system can also warn against storms and volcanic eruptions.

Logistics

For more logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org.

Food

WFP currently feeding about 500,000 people. (Oct-18, Reuters)

 

Indonesia’s chief of reconstruction on October 7 appealed to the international community to continue to provide food aid. Kuntoro says that Aceh will need food aid at least through 2006.  WFP will ask its board at a meeting in Rome on November 7 to continue emergency food distribution for the rest of this year and 2006. 

 

WFP currently operating three general activities: General Food Distribution (GFD), a School Feeding Program (SFP), and a Maternal Child Nutritional (MCN) program. GFD will only target vulnerable groups over the coming months. However, supplementary feeding activities will increase. SFP expected to reach 340,000 and MCN plans to reach 180,000 beneficiaries by December.

Water and Sanitation

IFRC says overall water distribution figure for Aceh and North Sumatra stands at more than 1 million liters per day. IFRC says water and sanitation activities continue to benefit some 113,000 beneficiaries. (Aug-11, IFRC)

Public Health/Medical

The GOI has reported a new case of polio in Aceh.  Although the patient lives in East Aceh district, which was not affected by the disaster, health officials were concerned over a possible resurgence of polio as tens of thousands of people were still living in camps and vulnerable. IFRC urges a three-pronged approach to help stop the spread of polio: comprehensive vaccinations, awareness campaigns, and safe water systems. (Oct-25, IFRC)

 

The WHO has established an integrated health emergency unit for disaster response, located at the Ministry of Health in Jakarta. The unit is coordinating inputs and tracking progress of ongoing activities in disaster affected areas. (Aug-15, Reliefweb)

Shelter

BRR head Kuntoro says that the GoI has built 10,000 homes out of a targeted 120,000 homes to be completed in 2007. He says the BRR had targeted to build 30,000 homes for this year. (Oct-24, Xinhua)

 

The new UN Recovery Coordinator for Aceh, Eric Morris, says that moving the 67,500 people still living in tents into intermediate shelters as the rainy season approaches is the biggest priority. (Oct-17, 18, BBC, Jakarta Post, Reuters)

 

BRR says the first large-scale building of homes has been completed in Aceh, with around 10,000 houses ready for survivors. A small number has been built on Nias Island. The agency says that another 20,000 houses were under construction. (Reuters, Sep-30)

 

The IFRC said it was working with other agencies to import and distribute 27,000 large tents to replace smaller tents initially donated after the disaster. Another 15,000 pre-fabricated temporary housing units, enough for some 60,000 people, are expected in November. (Sep-23, AFP) The IFRC has committed to build, as of August 1, more than 27,000 permanent new homes and to repair more than 7,000 other houses. IFRC estimates that more than 65,000 people are living in government-built barracks and says that many of these will need repair in the upcoming months. IFRC will help build extensions to existing homes to alleviate overcrowding for an estimated 16,500 families living with host families. The UN estimates the displaced could be living with host families for one to two years. (Aug-11, IFRC)

 

The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) has committed to rebuild 12,500 homes in Aceh and Nias, with 6,000 homes to be rebuilt in Aceh and 2,500 in Nias by the end of 2005 and an additional 4,000 in Aceh to be completed by 2007. (Aug-14, Indonesia-Relief.org)

Infrastructure

Disaster destroyed or damaged some 948 miles (1526 kilometers) of roads. (Oct-25, CSM)

 

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Jan Egeland, said in mid-October that reconstruction in Aceh province was too slow. Egeland said that better coordination and leadership was needed.

 

GoI says that of an estimated 57,758 hectares (142,700 acres) of devastated land, 20,000 hectares (17,300 acres) has been targeted for rehabilitation for 2005. BRR will rehabilitate 7000 hectares (49,420 acres), while the other 13,000 hectares (142,700 acres) will be rehabilitated by groups such as the ADB, USAID and FAO. (GoI, Sep-26)

 

IOM will build 200 transitional schools in Aceh for around 44,000 students. The US$2.3 million project is funded by UNICEF. (Aug-30, IOM)

 

The UN said that the tsunami eroded some 97 percent of the GDP in Aceh, amounting to an estimated US$4.5 billion in damage. (July-15, The Jakarta Post)

 

116,880 houses were destroyed or damaged in 2,496 villages throughout 17 affected regencies (kabupaten) from a total of 21 in Aceh. Of these, 57% were destroyed and 12% sustained major damage. The total amount of settlement areas affected by the tsunami amounted to 173,673 hectares (429,200 acres), of which 35% of the villages were completely destroyed. (Jun-19, GoI, IOM)

Security

GAM rebels have refused to hand over a list of more than 3,000 rebels to Indonesian officials in exchange for compensation. (Oct-26, DPA)

 

WFP has been appointed as the UN Agency Focal Point for Security in Medan. (WFP)

International Financial Assistance

More than 2,000 survivors are receiving entrepreneurial training under the first stage of UNDP’s small business project. So far 300 businesses have been awarded grants by the UNDP. (Oct-19, UNDP)

 

The World Bank has warned that economic stagnation in the country could push another 600,000 people in Aceh below the poverty line in the next 6 to 18 months. (Oct-25, CSM)

 

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on the international community to disburse more of the billions of dollars of aid pledged for Aceh. Yudhoyono said that only around a third of the US$3.5 billion earmarked for Indonesia has been disbursed. Yudhoyono also called on aid agencies to speed up construction efforts.

 

The World Bank says that reconstruction and monetary aid pouring into Aceh could put livelihoods at risk once the money dries up unless the economy is strengthened. World Bank data shows the province’s annual inflation rate at 17 percent, versus 7 percent in other parts of Indonesia. Reuters reports that Aceh’s unemployment rate is at 27 percent and around 600,000 people will be pushed below the poverty line, with daily earnings below US$1 within the next 6 to 18 months. (Aug-25, Reuters)

 

GOI put the December 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. 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) The World Bank says that about US$500 million has been raised from foreign donors for reconstruction thus far. The Steering Committee of the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Aceh and North Sumatra will manage the funds. (Jun-26, AFP)


Sri Lanka

 

 

Overview…………………………………………………..page 10

 

Sectors…………………………………………………….page 10

 

Overview:

 

Sri Lankan officials say that political rivals President Chandrika Kumaratunga and opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe have agreed to form a bipartisan approach to Sri Lanka’s peace process, Agence France-Presse reported.  Officials say that Kumaratunga accepted a proposal by former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to adopt a common approach following a rare meeting behind closed doors last night (Monday, October 24). “What has been agreed is for the first time for both parties to have a common position on solving the problem.  This is what the international community too had wanted, but failed to secure in the past,” an unidentified official close to the talks said.  Previous attempts by the two sides to work together have failed and there generally has not been any unity between the two rivals on solving the long-running separatist conflict on the island, which has seen more than 64,000 killed since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) began fighting in 1983.  Wickremesinghe is expected to run against Kumaratunga’s own Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapakse, for the presidential elections which are scheduled for November 16.  Kumaratunga’s term ends on December 23, and she cannot run for the presidency again.  Kumaratunga has been at odds with Rajapakse over a final peace deal with the Tigers.  Rajapakse has reportedly made deals with hardline parties who oppose Kumaratunga’s direction in the peace process.  Kumaratunga in the meantime has promised to hold “free and fair” elections amid fears that violence in the north and east could scare away voters.  A Norwegian-brokered ceasefire in February 2002 ended major fighting.  However, peace talks broke down in 2003 after the LTTE withdrew, saying that the government was not living up to its promises.  The ceasefire has largely held, but the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in August, as well as continued violence in the east and recent violent incidents in the north, have threatened the shaky peace in the country. Politics in the country have also helped delay the disbursement of some US$3.2 billion internationally pledged tsunami aid to thousands of needy survivors who have waited nearly a year since the disaster struck.

 

Sector Status

 

Affected

Population

Sri Lanka has combined the figures for its dead and missing into one figure for dead and presumed dead and missing. The combined total stands at 38,940. (Jun-22, Reuters) Of the total, approximately 5,000 have been declared missing. (May-3, DPA) UNICEF says that some 518,698 people remain displaced with most living with relatives and friends, some in “collective accommodation centers” or in camps.

 

As of August, 2005, some 800,000 people remain displaced in Sri Lanka by both the island’s long-running civil war and the tsunami disaster, the Global IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Project of the Norwegian Refugee Council reports.  Around 457,500 people displaced by the tsunami are still living in temporary shelters or with friends and family. Another 347,500 people remain displaced by the conflict.  The tsunami disaster of December 26, 2004, had initially added one million displaced to the country. 

 

 

Coordination

The NGO, World Vision International (WVI) reports that a mapping project from the UN’s Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) supported by WVI, will provide NGOs a means of putting project data onto maps of areas affected by the tsunami. The maps will show aid workers where relief programs are located and where there are gaps in reconstruction and rehabilitation and aid delivery. (Oct-11, WVI)

 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed an agreement with the GoSL to support the creation of computerized database centers to register people affected by the tsunami. Centers will be established at the Presidential and District Secretaries to collect information on the displaced and track the delivery of assistance to affected areas. According to IOM, the database will identify needs of tsunami-affected individuals on a case-by-case basis to ensure that people receive the assistance they need and avoid duplication. (Sept-9, IOM)

 

The UN Development Program (UNDP) announced the launching of the web portal, known as the Development Assistance Database (DAD), which will help to better coordinate and monitor post tsunami recovery aid. TAFREN is spearheading the online database with support from UNDP. The website can be found at: http://dad.tafren.gov.lk. (Sept-2, UNDP)

 

Joint mechanism deal, officially known as the Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure (P-TOMS) to allow committees from the LTTE, the government and Muslims to discuss and monitor tsunami aid projects. Sri Lankan Supreme Court temporarily blocked the deal.

 

The Task Force for Relief (TAFOR) will collate and analyze data, coordinate and facilitate relief measures connected to healthcare, education, foreign donor assistance and food relief. 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 Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES). Responsibilities connected to IDPs, Transit Camps, and liaison with the District Secretaries will be the task of the CGES. (Feb-9, UNJLC)

 

For further information, check the TAFREN website at http://www.tafren.gov.lk/ or the CNO website at http://www.cnosrilanka.org/ The Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation, and Reconciliation’s website, www.mrrr.lk contains additional information.

 

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

For additional logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org.

 

Food

A group of fishermen from the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, called on Monday (Oct-24) for a proper plan to bring relief to victims of the tsunami. (Oct-24, Xinhua)

 

WFP is planning to distribute 10,967 tons of mixed food commodities to some 183,000 beneficiaries under Food-for-Work programs. Under the Food for Education Program, WFP is planning to distribute 841 tons of food commodities. UNOCHA says school feeding activities are ongoing and 102,000 primary school students receive mid-morning meals each day. (Oct-7, UNOCHA)

 

The FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture distributed paddy and vegetable seed, fruit trees and fertilizer to some 2,000 tsunami-affected farmers in Galle, Hambantota, and Matara. This was the second distribution program in the south. Some 2,228 farmers received a similar distribution in April. (FAO, Oct-4)

 

The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and FAO distributed 2,628 fishing nets and 90 engines to 248 tsunami-affected fishermen. (FAO, Oct-4)

 

UNOCHA reports WFP Food-for-Work rehabilitation activities/projects will be implemented from July to December and will benefit some 138,000 people. (Aug-26, UNOCHA)

 

WFP says it is feeding some 915,000 people.

Water and

Sanitation

IFRC says an estimated 45,000 latrines and 76,000 wells were destroyed or damaged by the tsunami. (Oct-10, IFRC)

 

IFRC says it is producing and distributing over 3 million liters of water a week, which benefits up to 50,000 people in the east of Sri Lanka (Oct-10, IFRC).

 

A large-scale Red Cross assisted program on construction, rehabilitation and improvement of water supply and sanitation facilities in affected areas would be launched soon. The project will be implemented in Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Ampara and Jaffna districts at a cost of some US$100 million. (Aug-24, Xinhua)

 

Public Health

and Medical

Following an outbreak of chicken pox in Kallady, a camp near the eastern city of Trincomalee, IOM medical staff collaborating with the Sri Lankan health department organized a vaccination campaign against chicken pox for 200 children. IOM also carried out an information campaign to halt the spread of the disease. (Oct-11, IOM)

 

Shelter

UNHCR is pushing ahead with a project to provide transitional shelters for 14,000 people in Ampara district. According to the UN News Service, as of this week, all but 134 of the 2,800 shelters needs to be completed. UNHCR also expected to complete its transitional shelter work in Jaffna with some 1,558 shelters being built, which will accommodate some 8,000 people. UNHCR has supported the GoSL with the provision of over 55,000 shelters nationwide. More than 200,000 people in all should benefit from the program. The UNHCR Shelter Coordinator says that with some 95 percent of transitional shelter needs met, focus is beginning to shift to “care and maintenance” of shelters. UNHCR says it will complete its transitional shelter work by the end of the year. (Oct-25, 26, UNHCR, UNNS)

 

The Daily News reports that the Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP) has completed 55,000 temporary shelters in some 500 sites to house over 500,000 people. According to Commissioner General of Essential Services and Chair of the Task force for Relief (TAFOR), Tilak Ranaviraja, who headed the project, almost 95 percent of those living in tents or camps have now been moved to the shelters. The project was funded by UNDP, UNHCR, IOM and local and international NGOs. 38,600 shelters were constructed in Northern and Eastern districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Jaffna, Killinochchi and Mullativu, while 12,260 have been constructed in the Southern districts of Galle, Kalutara, Hambantota, Colombo and Matara. (Oct-11, Daily News)

 

IOM says it has constructed over 3,000 transitional houses, which are designed to last between two to four years. An additional 512 are currently under construction. Land has been allocated for 3,910 homes in 7 districts. (Aug-19, UNOCHA)

 

IFRC says that it has appropriate land for over 4,000 houses across Sri Lanka. (Oct-10, IFRC). IFRC says it has pledged to build up to 15,000 houses. (Aug-11, IFRC)

 

World Bank in Sri Lanka found about 90,000 homes fully or partially destroyed. The Bank has allocated initial US$40 million for permanent housing cash grants. (June-2, World Bank)

 

TAFREN chair Mano Tittawela said that 80 percent of the required permanent housing for the displaced will be completed before the end of this year. (July-7, GoSL)

Infrastructure

The Daily News reported that the GoSL has decided to revise its 100/200 meter buffer zone for reconstruction along the island’s coastal areas. The GoSL Information Department said that under the new set of rules, the buffer will be reduced to a range between 25-55 meters in the south and 50-100 meters in the northeast. Following the disaster, the government declared a 100/200 meters strip of land as a “no build zone,” however, many residents had complained that this would push back those whose livelihoods depended upon being closer to the ocean. UN resident Coordinator Miquel Bermeo welcomed the decision, saying that it would free up more land and better accommodate the wishes of the people. (Oct-15, Xinhua)

 

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has approved US$310 million in donor funding to reconstruct 1,137 kilometers (706 miles) of road and 25 bridges. The Cabinet has also approved the purchase of 100 new passenger train carriages for the Sri Lanka Railway Department. Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority estimates that some 2,425 kilometers (1,507 miles) of coastline out of a total of 2,825 kilometers (1,755 mile) was directly affected by the disaster. (Sept-22, UNOCHA)

 

SP Thamilselvan, chief of the political wing of the LTTE said that more than US$1 billion was needed to rebuild Tamil areas

 

A total of 77,561 houses have been damaged or destroyed by the tsunami, including 41,393 houses that were completely washed away, according to the Census and Statistics Department. (Apr-29, Daily News)

 

The Minister of Agriculture says that direct damage to the farmers of the tsunami was some US$3.5 million.

Security

Suspected LTTE rebels shot dead a leading Sinhalese activist in northeastern Trincomalee, army reports. (Oct-27, PTI)

 

Sri Lanka on Tuesday (October 18) extended the state of emergency in the country which was imposed following the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in August. 

 

Norwegian peace envoy, retired Major General Trond Furuhovde, says that Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are engaged in a “subversive war” that is threatening a shaky ceasefire. 

 

Ongoing violence in the east, some violence reported in the north.

International Financial Assistance

The World Bank says that around 220,000 families affected by the disaster have received up to 3 installments of cash grants worth some US$50 each, with another installment coming soon. The total disbursed by the WB by the end of the year will be US$40 million. Aside from the cash grants, WB has been handing out cash grants for housing, worth some US$2500 for families to repair or rebuild their homes. WB has committed up to US$150 million for the country. (Oct-21, World Bank)

 

The ADB announced a US$2 million grant from its Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction to help restore income for poor families affected by the disaster. ADB estimates more than a third of the 500,000 people affected by the tsunami lost their incomes. (Oct-11, ADB)

 

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on September 12 delayed a hearing on a controversial government deal to share about US$3.2 billion in tsunami aid with the LTTE rebels.  The court is expected to hold the hearing for the aid-sharing deal, formally known as the Post-Tsunami Operations Management Structure (P-TOMS), on November 22, which falls after the November 21 deadline for the country’s presidential election. 

 

The database of TAFREN shows that international donors had spent US$459 million dollars on tsunami relief projects as of July 31. In addition, actual pledges recorded on the database total US$1.04 billion dollars, short of the US$3.2 billion the government said it had received from international donors in May. However, TAFREN chief Mano Tittawella, said that the donor pledges would go up as figures are entered into the database. (Sept-2, AFP)

 

The government has estimated that it will cost up to US$1.6 billion to rebuild infrastructure destroyed or damaged.  The so-called Paris Club of rich creditor nations in March offered to freeze Sri Lanka’s $300 million in debt payments until the end of 2005.  The government has said it wishes to see that extended for three years.  (May-11, AFP) The Paris Club has agreed to allow the deferred payments to be repaid over five years, with a one-year grace period.  Sri Lanka owes the Paris Club some US$4.6 billion.


Thailand

 

 

 

Overview. ………………………………………………. page 17

 

Sectors……………………………………………………page 17

 

Overview:

 

The first international workshop on the management of the dead and missing in disasters opened in Bangkok on Tuesday (Oct-25). The five-day workshop has some 30 participants from 10 Asian countries and is organized by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC). According to the Bangkok Post, workshop director Marcel Dubouloz said that discussions would include lessons learned, disaster preparedness and management procedures for dealing with the dead and missing. Participants had agreed to set up a joint task force and establish an international network to share experiences and facilitate cooperation, the Bangkok Post reports. (Oct-25, Bangkok Post)

 

The Pitak foundation, has helped establish a “Children’s Learning and Community Services Centre for Tsunami Children” which offers young tsunami survivors a computer center to expand their education, the Nation reports. The project is jointly funded by the Pitak Foundation, Microsoft Thailand, the Thai Children Education Foundation, and the Bang Muang Tambon Administrative Organization (TAO). The Bt2 million (US$49,000) center will be opened in 3 months next to the offices of the Bang Muang TAO. (Oct-25, the Nation)

 


Sector Status

Affected Population

Latest death toll issued by the Thai Ministry of Interior Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is at 5,395. The number of Thai deceased is at 1,972 and foreign nationals at 2,248, with another 1,175 of unknown nationality. Number of missing is at 2,817. Of those, 1,924 are Thais. (May 13, UN)

 

The Phuket-based Disaster Victims Identification Centre (DVI) will be closed on December 26. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya said on October 12 that some 1,000 bodies remain unclaimed by their relatives. Around 300 westerners are reported to be among the bodies while the rest are those of Thai and other Asian nationals. All the bodies have been processed by DVI officials who are expected to move their office from Phuket to Bangkok before December 26.

 

The head of the victim identification centre, Police General Noppadol Somboonsub, says that by the end of 2006, investigators should finish identifying all the bodies of the people killed in Thailand by the tsunami. There are 3,777 bodies of victims being kept at several identification units. The Thai Tsunami Victim Identification (TTVI) Information Management Centre has identified around 2,419 bodies and returned them to their relatives. Remaining bodies are kept at Mai Khao morgue, according to police Lt-Col Wiwat. He says forensic experts and DVI officials could examine 30-50 bodies a week. (Oct-14, Bangkok Post) Foreign experts helping to identify unknown bodies killed in the disaster will leave Thailand by the end of the year when their Thai colleagues will take over. (Aug-25, Reuters)

 

The Tsunami Action Group (TAG), a migrant advocate group, and the Law Society of Thailand have estimated that between 700 and 2,500 Myanmar migrant workers went missing. Many of them were not officially registered, and do not appear to be included in the official list of the killed. (June-8, Amnesty International) Other estimates have the number at 1,000 to 7,000. (Jun-27, Irrawaddy) Some 30,000 Burmese workers were registered with the Thai government according to the Irrawaddy. (Irrawaddy, Oct-6)

 

The Chalong-based Thai Tsunami Victim Identification (TTVI) center is expected to close some time before the anniversary of the tsunami disaster on December 26, Pol Col Khemmarin Hassiri, Superintendent of the TTVI’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) unit said. However, the exact date the center will be closed has not been fixed. (Phuket Gazette, Oct-4)

Coordination

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, announced towards the end of August that he was assigning three of his deputy prime ministers with specific responsibilities: Ministers Jarusombat and Liptapanplop are responsible for victim assistance in Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket, and Minister Krea-ngam will oversee disbursement of compensation funds. Minister Vejjajiva, from the Prime Minister’s Office, has been assigned overall responsibility for the country’s disaster alert system. (Sept-9, UNNCTT)

 

Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Center, the first among tsunami-affected countries, formally opened on May 30. In the first phase, it will focus on earthquakes and tsunamis before extending to other disasters. (May-31, Bangkok Post)

 

The Donor Assistance Database (DAD) is being updated to include UN tsunami program tracking. The DAD was installed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the help of UNDP to aid tracking of assistance to the country. Information will be updated on a monthly basis, according to UNCTT. (Aug-11, UNCTT)

 

The Prime Minister’s Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva on October 12 announced that the construction of the tsunami warning system is in progress and that 24 warning towers will be completed by the first anniversary of the disaster, on December 26. Suranand says that the government plans to build 62 warning towers, of which four will come under the responsibility of Phuket’s local officials. Twelve towers will be complete by next month, the next 12 by December 26 and the rest will be ready by next March. The warning towers will be linked to 12 warning stations and will be overseen by the Ministry of Interior and cost Bt38 million (US$929,000). Maps and signs showing tsunami escape trails will be finished by November 15. (Oct-13, The Nation)

 

Phuket launched a Thai-English language website (www.phuketremembers.com) to commemorate the disaster and keep people updated on the progress and activities to mark the first anniversary from December 25-27. (Oct-18, The Nation)

Logistics

For logistical information see: http://www.unjlc.org.

Food

The Japanese government, at the request of the Wildlife Fund Thailand, has agreed to fund replacement fishing equipment for local communities in Nam Khem Village and villages in the Yao Islands of Phang Nga province. (Oct-25, Government of Japan)

Water/Sanitation

 

Public Health/Medical

Department of Mental Health working on Handbook to help tsunami victims cope with psychological wounds. Department deputy chief Vachira Chanpeng, says that the project has the backing of the WHO. (Oct-14, Bangkok Post)

Shelter

World Vision is building 800 homes in the five affected provinces of Phuket, Ranong, Krabi, Trang and Phang Nga. (Aug-15, World Vision)

Infrastructure

Phangnga province is reportedly building 4 warning towers in Takua Pa and Kuraburi districts which will be completed before the government’s warning towers are ready for use. The budget to build the warning towers comes from private funds and community organizations. They are expected to be finished in two months. (Sep-30, TNA)

 

The UNCTT says that the GoT has continued to pay out compensation and relief assistance, however, the Thai Ministry of Interior Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reports that as of August 1, further assistance totaling 1.43 billion baht (US$35 million) is still needed in the affected provinces. (Aug-11, UNCTT)

Security

Thailand on October 18 extended a controversial emergency decree in the restive south. The emergency law, which was declared on July 20 and replaced martial law that was declared shortly after a renewed insurgency began in the region early last year, is renewable every three months. Over 1,000 people, including Muslim and Buddhist civilians and security forces, have been killed in the region since last year. Insurgency violence continues in southernmost provinces (Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani, and Songkhla).

 

The US, Britain and Australia have issued travel warnings to its citizens, advising against non-essential travel to the south.

International Financial Assistance

The ADB has set aside US$1.7 million for Thailand, to help develop long-term solutions for tsunami-affected areas, especially Krabi, Phuket and Phang Nga. Funds will come from the Asian Tsunami Fund, which was set up by the ADB in February with an initial contribution of US$600 million. (July-12, Phuket Gazette)