1. REHABILITATION OF TSUNAMI AFFECTED AREAS IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT
URBAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
REHABILITATION OF
TSUNAMI AFFECTED AREAS IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT
BRIEF PRELIMINARY REPORT
10thJanuary 2004

2. CONTEXT IN BRIEF
Batticaloa District – 100 km coastline
High rainfall in NE Monsoon and annual floods causing polluted water
Severe Cyclone threat
Highest population growth rate in the country (2.49%) and town (Kattankudy) having highest population density.

3. Batticaloa M. C. – the only 2nd order town
( No 1st order towns. )
Livelihood in district:
Fisheries - 22% of households
Agriculture - 27% of households
Other - 44% of households
35% of children below 5 years – chronic malnutrition
Already many displaced families (owing to
conflict situation)

4. Coastal Stretch –
Series of saline, brackish and fresh water wetlands and continuous sandy beaches
Rest of district covered by forest and agricultural crops with numerous streams and water bodies
Most important agricultural crop – Paddy
Other subsidiary flood crops – Vegetables,
Onions and
Chillies
Subsistence level of production
10,960 acres fertile paddy land abandoned

5. Eastern Province Structure Plan, June 2004, Prepared by Environment & Management Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. for NPPD
Statistical Handbook 2003 Batticaloa District available
Up-to-date Base Maps of suitable scales for detailed planning still not available
1:50,000 map available.
1:10,000 map for Batticaloa M.C. area only also available

6. 2. POST-TSUNAMI DAMAGE ASSESSMENT & RELOCATION LAND AVAILABILITY
UDA Emergency Planning Team carried out a preliminary post-tsunami assessment between 1 – 4 January 2005:
Interviewed G. A., Divisional Secretaries (affected divisions), Batticaloa Municipal Commissioner, TRO and Samurdhi Office Information Unit.
Obtained basic details on available lands – further details provided later by DSs.
Longer Term Transit Camps being planned by Team led by GA, incl. D.S.’s, LA leaders, LTTE.
UDA officer also to be involved.

7. OBSERVATIONS (cont..)
Continuous cyclone threat along coastal strip & annual floods in low-lying areas of district
Much variation in width of tsunami affected coastal strip probably owing to variation in geomorphology.
Completely destroyed - From 200 to 400 m
Partially destroyed - Further 100 to 200m
So far noted widest affected stretches – in Manmunai North (Batticaloa M. C.) D. S. Division and at Kaldudah

8. Damaged Property - Batticaloa

9. Destroyed bridge of the lagoon- Bar Road Batticaloa

10. Destroyed & Damaged Houses - Batticaloa

11. Destruction – mostly of seaside infrastructure (especially roads, bridges & electricity lines), fisheries settlements & fishing equipment incl. boats.
Mostly fisheries communities affected.
After tsunami & floods, large patches of polluted stagnant water in low-lying areas.
Debris, mud, garbage & scorched vegetation strewn everywhere.
Most large mature trees survived (deep-rooting spp. especially).
Wells in affected areas destroyed or become saline.

12. Destroyed houses & damaged Wells - Navalady fishing village - Batticaloa

13. Polluted Well - Batticaloa

14. Toppled Well - Navalady ,Batticaloa

15. Kalkudah and Pasekudah Bays –
bodies and landmines were still being cleared (Pasekudah completely inaccessible)
Sea level in the bays was said to be higher than before but Met. Dept. says this is temporary phenomenon.

16. Remains of Billets (now in the sea) Kalkudah Camp

17. In NPPD’s Eastern Province Structure Plan, 300 m “Buffer Zone” recommended from mean high water line of sea and 100 m “Buffer Zone” along lagoon banks.
Latest satellite images/aerial photographs immediately needed to demarcate widths accurately.

18. In general , large extents of State land available for new neighborhoods. In some cases privately owned vacant land also could be used.
According to TRO, most fisher families require single storey houses on at least p. plots
According to Batticaloa M. Commissioner, 3 – 4 storey blocks of flats acceptable, even for some fisher families.

19. NATURAL DISASTER – PARTICULARS OF AFFECTED FAMILIES
BATTICALOA DISTRICT – 2004
No.
D.S. Division
No. of Houses Damaged
Fully
Partly
Total 01
Vakarai
4,100
177
4,277 02
Koralai Pattu Central - 03
Oddamavady 04
Valaichchenai
2,860
1,985
4,845 05
Kiran 06
Chenkalady
2,750
4,440
7,190 07
Eravur Town

20. No. D.S. Division No. of Houses Damaged 29,000 11,485 40,485
Cont’d
No.
D.S. Division
No. of Houses Damaged
Fully
Partly
Total 08
Manmunai North
9,470 48
9,518 09
Vavunathivu - 10
Kattankudy
3,210
1,005
4,215 11
Arayampathy
2,050
1,800
3,850 12
Paddipalai 13
Vallavely 14
Kaluwanchikudy
4,560
2,030
6,590
29,000
11,485
40,485

21. LANDS SO FAR IDENTIFIED FOR RE-SETTLEMENT IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT
Map Ref.
Land Extent
Owner
Location
DS Divisions 1.
175 Ac
State
Thevapuram (Vicks Garden)
Koralaipattu Kiran 2.
20 Ac
Palayadithona 3.
More than 4 ½ Ac
M.C.
Kokkuvil
Manmunai North 4.
90 P
M. C.
Sinna Urani

22. Cont’d
Map Ref.
Land Extent
Owner
Location
DS Divisions
05.
1 Ac. 1 R. 1 P.
M. C.
Seelamunai
Manmunai North
06.
1 Ac. 1 R. 30 P. .
Thissa Weerasinghe Squarei
07.
About 300 Ac.
State
Eravur Pattu
(D. S. will give exact locations later).

23. TSUNAMI AFFECTED AREAS & RELOCATION LANDS IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT

24. RECOMMENDATIONS (pending obtaining more accurate & detailed data):
300 m wide coastal belt from beach vegetation line (0.6m MSL) to be declared as “no-building” reservation for permanent tree crops or beach parks, to be afforested with suitable deep-rooting trees forming wind belts. Could also accommodate harbours,fisheries landing sites (& ancillary facilities). Monuments to be retained.
Further 200 m wide belt to be a limited development zone – only harbours, fisheries landing sites( & ancillary buildings/structures), tourism & recreation. Monuments permitted.
100 m wide reservation for lagoons

25. RECOMMENDATIONS ( Cont..)
All residential (incl. fisheries settlements) & other building development should be beyond the 500m wide belt.
(all above to be finalized after studying post-tsunami satellite images/aerial photographs).
Comprehensive Stormwater Drainage Schemes urgently required in all development zones, considering the terrain and the perennial flood problem. Existing roadside drains should be widened. Flood Detention Ponds/Areas should be designated.
Sewage disposal scheme needed for Batticaloa M. C. Area.

26. Stagnant Water

27. RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont..)
Eastern Province Structure Plan should be revised where necessary with due consideration of cyclone & tsunami threat.
Urban Development Plans, especially Zoning, should be expedited.
New Neighbourhoods/Townships should be concept for relocation (In-fill housing may be suitable in some parts of Batticaloa town).
Manmunai North housing could be commenced immediately, working with Batticaloa M. C.
Fisheries communities should be assisted quickly; repairs/replacement of boats ,etc.

28. Grounded Boats

29. Table 2: BATTICALOA DISTRICT TSUNAMI AFFECTED AREAS
ROUGH COST ESTIMATE FOR HOUSING RELOCATION
No.
DS Div.
Housing Type needed
Rough No of such houses
&
cost per house
Rough Cost Estimate for House Construction
Rs.
Rough Cost Estimate of land for relocation
Rough Cost Estimate of Land Development t& Infrastructure
No. of floor
Sq. ft 1.
Manmunai North 4
flats
600
5000
1,200,000
6,000,000,000 2
4000
800,000
3,600,000,000 - 2.
Kattankudy 1
4215
500,000
2,104,000,000 3.
Paddipalai
(Manmunai South West)

30. 4.
Vellavely
(Parathiv Pattu) - 5.
Aragampathy
(Manminai Pattu) 1
600
3850
500,000
1,928,000,000/- 6.
Vakarai
(Koralai Pattu North)
4277
2,138,500,000/- 7.
Oddamavady
(Koralai Pattu West) 8.
Kiran
(Koralai Pattu South) 9.
Chenkalady
(Eravur Pattu)
7190
3,595,000,000/
10.
Valaichchenai
(Koralai Pattu)
4845
2,422,500,000/
11.
Kaluwanchikudy
(Manmunai South & Eravur Pattu)
6590
3,295,000,000/
25,083,000,000/-