Abstract:
T s u n a m i is one of t h e most d e v a s t a t e d c o a s t a l hazard, which may
p e r h a p s y i e l d s s e r i o u s d a m a g e s to b o t h h u m a n lives a n d p r o p e r t i e s in
affected i s l a n d s like Sri L a n k a . As a n i s l a n d , Sri L a n k a h a s a l s o b e c o me
a T s u n a m i p r o n e r i s k zone a s f r e q u e n t e a r t h q u a k e s r e p o r t e d in J a va
S u m a t h r a region.
Knowledge a n d t h e a w a r e n e s s on s u c h c o a s t a l h a z a r d s of t h e c o m m u n i ty
i s a vital f a c t s , w h i c h r e s u l t s i s m i n i m i z i n g i t s a d v e r s e effects. Developing
a w a r e n e s s p r o c e s s e s s and effective c o m m u n i c a t i o n systems will
d e f i n i t e l y a s s i s t in t h e d e s i g n i n g of h a z a r d s m a p s a n d e v a c u a t i o n p l a n s.
2 6 t h December 2 0 0 4 T s u n a m i h a s hit t h e Sri L a n k a n c o a s t a l r e g i o ns
c r e a t i n g m a n y lives l o s s e s a n d p r o p e r t y d a m a g e s a s a r e s u l t of l a c k of
p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e i n similar t y p e d h a z a r d.
F o c u s i n g the a s s e s s m e n t of public a w a r e n e s s and s u b s e q u e nt
r e s p o n s i v e n e s s on T s u n a m i , t h e s t u d y w a s p l a n n e d to e v a l u a t e d e g r e e of
a w a r e n e s s in t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c o n T s u n a m i r e s p o n s i v e n e s s a n d c o u n t er
m e a s u r e s to b e a d o p t e d . T h e s u r v e y w a s c a r r i e d o u t in two s t a g e s a s p re
a n d p o s t s e c o n d a n n i v e r s a r y of 2 6 t h D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 4 T s u n a m i event. At
t h e survey, 1200 sample was selected based on geographical
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s of affected G r a m a N i l a d h a r i D i v i s i o n s . School c o m m u n i ty
a n d t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c a r e s u b s t a n t i a l l y e n c o u n t e r e d at t h e survey. A
q u e s t i o n n a i r e was u s e d to collect d a t a from t h e s a m p l e a n d informal
d i s c u s s i o n s w e r e c o n d u c t e d to collect a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n . The s u r v ey
w a s c o n d u c t e d by a t e a m c o m p r i s i n g of E n g i n e e r s , Sociologist etc. The
d a t a collected was a n a l y z e d a n d r e s u l t s a r e p r e s e n t e d in t h e report.
Media effect, c o m m u n i c a t i o n g a p s , r e l i a b i l i t y of e a r l y w a r n i n g s y s t e m s,
p u b l i c r e s p o n s i v e n e s s , s u g g e s t e d c o u n t e r m e a s u r e s are the critical
o u t c o m e s of t h e s t u d y w h i c h n e e d s t o a d d r e s s a t policy level.
