Home 
Publications Catalog Online Publications ADB Review Article
Restoring Coastal Access
|
HIKKADUWA, SRI LANKA
The first big wave left fish stranded on the beach of this bustling town on Sri Lanka’s west coast. Survivors of the first tsunami, including children, rushed to the shore to scoop up an unexpected bonanza. But, minutes later, came the second wave—even bigger than the first—that claimed a second round of lives.
The tsunami was so powerful that even after curling around the southern coast, it had enough energy to plow several hundred meters inland on the lee side of the island
The tsunami of 26 December 2004 was so powerful that even after curling around the southern coast, it had enough energy to plow several hundred meters inland on the lee side of the island.
In addition to the human toll, the tsunami swept away railways, bridges, and embankments, and covered roads with thick debris, cutting off several towns from vital assistance.
Among those who came to the rescue was an Asian Development Bank (ADB) contractor on an inland expressway between Colombo and Matara. The day after the tsunami, the Japanese firm, Kumagai Gumi Co. Ltd, diverted resources to clear the southern coastal highway between Bentota and Matara.
Acting on a request from the Government, a 100-strong team and fleet of heavy equipment— loaders, dump trucks, cranes, and motor graders—cleared the road by early January 2005.
“They removed huge rocks and debris and installed Bailey bridges where these had been washed out,” says Bob Rinker, Deputy Country Director and Head of Portfolio Management at ADB’s Sri Lanka Resident Mission in Colombo. “They worked flat out to clear a major impediment to the relief effort.”
This was part of the relief effort, and now ADB is preparing substantive grant assistance to rehabilitate roads in many parts of a country that depends heavily on coastal links. This will be part of a $150 million package of new funds, mainly in grants, that is being discussed with the Government.
Reconstruction needs assessment reports prepared by the Government and funding agencies—including ADB, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and World Bank—estimate the reconstruction needs for roads alone from $200 million to $300 million. ADB has been asked to help coordinate ways in which interested development partners can harmonize assistance to meet the needs in this vital sector.
People working in tourism, trade, and fishing— key sectors of the Sri Lankan economy—rely heavily on efficient supply and distribution lines, as Mr. Rinker observed during a reconnaissance trip by road from Colombo to Hikkaduwa in January.
In Moratuwa, just south of Colombo, trader Santha Peiris, aged 28, looks ruefully at the spot once occupied by his home on the main road by the beach.
He finds a corner stone and stands on it: it is all that remains of two adjacent homes. Santha and his family occupied one and his parents and brother lived in the other.
Santha buys and sells fruit for a living, but he is finding it hard to start afresh as he lost his possessions to the tsunami. He and his family are staying at a nearby Buddhist temple until they sort out what to do next.
Farther down the road, entrepreneur Ranjit Premakumar, aged 28, stands with his son in front of what was a brand-new seafood restaurant—smashed by the giant wave just days before it was to open. He had borrowed money from a bank to take advantage of a tourism boom, but now he is not sure what will happen.
In Hikkaduwa, fisherfolk sit at a roadside stall, hoping to sell their wares to passing customers—but demand is well down because of a widespread belief that the fish have fed off corpses.
Near a beach of broken boats, Simbakotti Edward, aged 59, is mending a narrow skiff. He invites visitors home to see the waterline left by the tsunami: the tall Mr. Rinker has to stretch to reach it.
The need for good access is also vital at nearby Telwatte, where the tsunami derailed a train, killing hundreds of people. A center for internally displaced persons has been set up beside the station, and people are queuing for food and other supplies brought in from outside. Bulldozers work the main road, scooping up the debris to keep the aid lifeline open.
Go back to current issue
© 2008 Asian Development Bank Privacy | Terms of Use |
 Top of page |