Browsing by Author "Ali, S.K.M."

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    The Effect of the Tropical Storm of November 2011 on the Coastal Fishing Population of Weligama District Secretariat Division
    (University of Kelaniya, 2012) Ali, S.K.M.; Kumara, R.K.C.
    The tropical storm that hit the southern district of Matara on 25.11.2011 affected the coastal areas of these districts severely, particularly the fishing population. There was widespread feeling in the island that this disaster could have been averted and lives and property saved if early warning had been issued by the responsible Government departments of the impending meteorological disaster like in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, India. The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre predicted a medium chance of the storm forming into a tropical cyclone that would affect southern Sri Lanka on 24.11.2011. The main objective was to study the effect of the tropical storm on the fishing population of the most affected Grama Niladhari divisions of Weligama DSD (District Secretariat Division). Other objectives were to identify the other disasters that affected the area in the collective memory of the DSD, whether an early warning had been issued, the nature of self protection methods used by the affected population during the storm, nature of aid received by the affected people and the aftereffects of the storm on their immediate environment. The study area consisted of the five most affected Grama Niladhari divisions of the Weligama DSD. They are Pelena north and south, Kapparatota north and south and Mirissa south. The methodology used was a questionnaire survey of the affected fishing population. 104 questionnaires using random sampling techniques based on the list of affected families provided by the Grama Niladharis were used. Other supplementary methods used were interviews with Government department officials, and group discussions. Simple statistical methods such as percentages were used to analyze the data. Results indicate that there were 09 deaths. 53.9% said the most serious damage were to their houses. The affected population identified the most severe disaster affecting their area as storms ( next to the Tsunami). 100.0% of the sample population said there were no warnings issued on the disastrous weather situation. As self protection methods 43.0% had stayed inside the house as awareness programs have never been conducted to educate them. 30.8 % said they saw trees being uprooted by the storm. 72.0 % said that they had received Government aid after the damage caused by the tropical storm.
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    The southwest monsoon of 2013: its disastrous Impact on the balapitiya fishing population of Coastal southwest sri lanka and the urgent need For information communication technology (ICT) Application
    (Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014-06) Ali, S.K.M.; Kumara, R.K.C.
    Monsoon was traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in the precipitation but is now understood as the seasonal change in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea. Sri Lanka is affected annually both by the southwest and northeast monsoons and shows marked variations from intensified disastrous situations to failure. The 2013 southwest monsoon brought disaster to the fishing population of the southwest quadrant especially Balapitiya Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD). Its impact peaked on June 8th with the sudden intensification of the system resulting in high wind and precipitation that led to human death and property loss. The highest number of deaths, missing and injured were reported from Balapitiya DSD. The main objective of the present investigation was to study the damaging effect of the southwest monsoon of 8th June 2013 on the fishing population of the most affected Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions of the Balapitiya DSD. Other objectives were to find out whether an early warning had been issued, the observations of the fishing community on the intensified monsoon situation, safety measures adopted by the community during the disaster, their traditional knowledge on identifying a severe weather situation and the nature of damages to vegetation. The study area covered Ahungalla, Weliwathugoda, Wellabada, Werathuduwa, Brahmanawaththa south and Brahmanawaththa north Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions. The primary method used was a questionnaire survey on the affected fishing population. Random sampling technique based on the list of affected families provided by the GN of the affected divisions was used to select the sample. Forty questionnaires were administered to each GN division except Brahmanawatte north (39) totaling to 279 affected families in the study area. Other supplementary methods used were interviews, personal and group discussions and case studies. The study was under taken in July 2013. Simple statistical methods such as percentages were used to analyze the data. Result show that there were 24 deaths (out of 27 in Sri Lanka) in the study area. 35.06% said the most serious damage were to their fishing materials, 29.22% said they were unable to go fishing as a result of bad weather. 84.94% said that no early warnings were issued before the disaster and 56.90% have seen uprooted trees in the study area. As protection methods 56.48% had stayed inside the house. Use of ICT as an early warning measure could have saved many human lives if applied during this disaster situation.