News
Local officials recount their plight
View(s):By the morning of May 26, it was clear they could not stay at home. It had rained incessantly for hours. The flood waters rose rapidly as the Kalu Ganga swelled. Geethani Kannangara tossed her nine-year-old son’s school books into the attic and evacuated her family to a relative’s house on a higher plane. They had only the clothes on their backs.
The roads turned into canals. But Mrs. Kannangara’s main concern was to get to her office. She was the Agalawatta Divisional Secretary and had heavy responsibilities as disaster crippled surrounding villages. Her husband, too, was an administrative officer.
A boat came to their vicinity only on May 27. Mrs. Kannangara got in and headed off to work. She hasn’t looked back since. Wearing borrowed clothes, she worked with others in her division to send aid to stranded families. Access was a huge challenge. But they were still luckier than others in places like Bulathsinhala and Pahiyangala which were badly hit and required a larger share of assistance.
On Saturday, she was due to have visited her home to salvage what was left of her belongings. “In an official capacity, all of us did what we could,” she reflected. “But there should be a comprehensive disaster management policy for the country in situations like this.”
The Bulathsinhala Divisional Secretariat is usually plagued by staff shortages; it still has no Administrative Officer or Assistant Divisional Secretary. Most locations under its purview are considered remote, so not many want to work there.
When disaster struck, around 70-80 members of his 200-strong workforce did not turn up, said Bulathsinhala Divisional Secretary Sisira Kumara Senadheera. They were either affected by floods and landslides or could not reach the office. All three access routes were obstructed.
“We worked with just over 100 people,” Mr. Senadheera said. “That is around half of my staff and they put in 24-hours, doing whatever they could.” Getting relief to those who needed them was a challenge. Air Force helicopters could not hover in one place for long periods in order to drop the required quantities of relief items. All possible landing grounds were flooded.
“I think we should identify certain State-owned lands at high elevations to land choppers in future,” he suggested. “There are tea factories that could provide clearings that could be turned into helipads and used as playgrounds at other times.”
The need for boats was also badly felt during this disaster. The Pradeshiya Sabhas have a few canoes and rafts. But with these areas now prone to flooding, these are not enough, Mr. Senadheera said.
Also badly hit was Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district. Thirty-nine of its 43 sectors were inundated, said Divisional Secretary S. Thrimanna. Roads were either flooded or obstructed by landslides. Reaching the workplace was a nightmare during the first 24-hours.
Hierarchies disappeared as senior officers worked shoulder-to-shoulder with juniors. The absence of boats with outboard motors hampered relief efforts. The local Pradeshiya Sabha had just three of them. In some areas, the current was too strong to navigate against. It was crucial to give local authorities boats with personnel trained to drive them through choppy waters.
(Please see more stories on Page 17)