Tsunami Recovery Plan Karan Ramchandani March 13 th, 2009 Orso – 1 st

Disaster Analysis - Intro The tsunami was caused by an underwater earthquake which was rated as a 9.0 on the Richter scale which only measures up to an intensity level of 10. This earthquake caused a 620-mile wide tectonic plate to shift, which sent out waves in a spiral-effect, and with each following wave, there was more energy and strength than the prior one. These waves with their intense speeds slow don as they near the land, and rise higher and higher with each wave, and eventually, “drowned” the land. Countries affected consist of India, Myanmar, Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other islands/peninsulas.

Disaster Analysis - Explanation Over 100 years of accumulated stress was released in the second biggest earthquake in recorded history – It unleashed a devastating tsunami that traveled thousands of kilometers across the Indian Ocean, taking the lives of more than 200,000 people in countries as far apart as Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Somalia. The whole island has been tilted by the force of the earthquake, causing coral, submerged beneath the ocean for thousands of years, to be thrust out of the water on the east side; bays in the west have been drained. On the shores directly facing the epicenter, the waves reached heights of 20m (65ft), stripping vegetation from mountain sides 800m (0.5 mile) inland, capsizing freighters and throwing boats into the trees. The city of Banda Ache, just a few kilometers further round the coast was almost completely destroyed, killing tens of thousands of people in just 15 minutes. The first wave hit Sri Lanka with no recede and no warning. The waves, up to six of them, weighing over 100 billion tons, rushed inland like a giant tide. As they hit Sri Lanka's southern tip, they began to change direction, an effect called refraction. The part of a wave closest to the shore slowed down in the shallow water, leaving the outer part, traveling at faster speeds, to bend around the island. The southwest coast of Sri Lanka, the side that should have been safe, was suddenly in the waves' direct line. Cities such as Galle were destroyed; over 4,000 people died in this region alone. The waves carried on further north to India, where they killed 10,000 people.

Disaster Relief – Intro Immediate health concerns After the rescue of survivors, the primary public health concerns are clean drinking water, food, shelter, and medical care for injuries. Flood waters can pose health risks such as contaminated water and food supplies. Loss of shelter leaves people vulnerable to insect exposure, heat, and other environmental hazards. The majority of deaths associated with tsunamis are related to drownings, but traumatic injuries are also a primary concern. Injuries such as broken limbs and head injuries are caused by the physical impact of people being washed into debris such as houses, trees, and other stationary items. As the water recedes, the strong suction of debris being pulled into large populated areas can further cause injuries and undermine buildings and services. Medical care is critical in areas where little medical care exists. Secondary effects Natural disasters do not necessarily cause an increase in infectious disease outbreaks. However, contaminated water and food supplies as well as the lack of shelter and medical care may have a secondary effect of worsening illnesses that already exist in the affected region. –Decaying bodies create very little risk of major disease outbreaks. –The people most at risk are those who handle the bodies or prepare them for burial. Long-lasting effects The effects of a disaster last a long time. The greater need for financial and material assistance is in the months after a disaster, including surveying and monitoring for infectious and water- or insect-transmitted diseases; diverting medical supplies from non-affected areas to meet the needs of the affected regions; restoring normal primary health services, water systems, housing, and employment; and assisting the community to recover mentally and socially when the crisis has subsided.

Disaster Relief - Solution Strategy #1 – we can send over an organization by the name of Project C.U.R.E which will analyze the health related concerns being seen in these regions, and they can ship out the necessary supplies accordingly. Strategy #2 – organizations can team up in order to send out construction workers to these areas so houses can be built on higher ground and/or with pillars supporting them, but only high enough to a point where it will provide safety as well as support. Strategy #3 – members of programs that deal with donations and/or charity funds for less fortunate/tragedy-stricken areas can organize a sense of promotion and awareness of the disaster seen in these areas, and these funds can be used for required needs. Strategy #4 – nations involved with an alliance with these tragedy-faced nations can speak out about what has occurred and instill a sense of hope into the regions that were hit, and allow them to see the light, in which the truth is that they have many who are comitted to supporting these flooded areas.

Pictures Houses can be built on stilts – such as the one depicted above. Project C.U.R.E. is an organization that deals with providing medical supplies to “third-world” countries who are in need and/or lack the necessary aid.