Tsunami operation faces of recovery: Nimmi's story

Sri Lanka - J.C. Nimmi's story: from transitional shelter to her new home

As the tsunamis swept across vast tracts of land around the Bay of Bengal, they took with them virtually everything in their path, including large, strongly built family homes and businesses. Destruction in many affected regions, particularly close to costal fringes, was almost total. Few dwellings were spared. Millions of people were affected -- hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes.

To provide shelter for such a large displaced population presented a significant challenge for the entire International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

People left without adequate shelter are exposed to increased hardship. Providing shelter for such a large population required a rapid response and a massive mobilisation of resources.

From across the affected counties and around the world, materials to provide temporary shelter arrived. Although this aid can never replace the homes and the memories contained within them, temporary shelter provides one of the vital elements of disaster relief, beginning the process of recovery from disaster for people who have suffered greatly.

The reconstruction of the houses destroyed by the tsunamis requires planning, coordination and community consultation. It is vital that houses rebuilt are located on land where ownership is established and that the house designs reflect the affected population's needs. Because of this, temporary living centres, which are often rapidly constructed in response to a natural disaster, need to be comfortable and compliant with international standards. While conditions in these centres are clearly not as comfortable the homes they temporarily replace, they do provide shelter for families while their new homes are being built.

After careful planning and discussions with affected communities, the process of reconstruction of houses, schools and health centres destroyed by the tsunamis is ready to begin. Of course, the complete rehabilitation of affected communities will take many years, and the International Federation has outlined its plans for the region up until 2010.

Nevertheless, as more needs emerge, the Federation is in a strong position to assist over a longer term, and to not only help communities rebuild their lives, livelihoods and economies, but also to prepare more thoroughly for the next emergency in this disaster-prone region.

More information: http://www.ifrc.org/tsunami/

Year: 2006
Duration: 2 minutes 4 seconds

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Red
• Cross
• Crescent
• International
• IFRC
• Disaster
• Relief
• Preparedness
• Health
• Humanitarian
• Assistance
• Volunteers
• Humanity