Effectiveness of flood early warning methods; the case from Yabaroluwa North in Biyagama

Abstract

Flood is one of the major natural and human-induced disasters in Sri Lanka and the majority of people who live in low-lying areas in both Wet and Dry Climatic Zones of Sri Lanka are highly vulnerable for the flood. The risk of flood disasters would be significantly reduced by an effective early warning system. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of current early warning systems of Sri Lanka and to make recommendations to improve the current early warning systems. The study has selected the Kelani River basin as a study region and Yabaroluwa North village in Biyagama DSD has been selected to field study under the case study method. To achieve the objectives, the stratified sampling method was used and the sample was selected randomly. The quantitative data were collected by questionnaire and qualitative data were collected by focus group discussions and key informant discussions. Relevant articles, study reports, research findings, other published documents, and different databases were used for secondary data. Both Descriptive and analytical methods were used. The study reveals that the main weakness of the flood early warning methods is that the message does not receive to the grassroots and many warning systems are too common and not specified the message and the target areas. Still, the Disaster Management Center uses traditional ways to convey the message. The government’s regular and active intervention and assistance to promote new technological methods and about knowledge, warning given from the main three languages and warnings should warning go directly for vulnerable people.