waking up on boxing day of 2004, we were informed that a tsunami had devastated coastlines bordering the indian ocean, predominantly indonesia, sri lanka, though india, thailand, malaysia, maldives, somalia, burma and the seychelles also sustained substantial casualties. it was a natural disaster of unprecedented scale in recent history, as up to 230,000 people lost their lives.
the news of the boxing day tsunami affected me greatly. in jan/feb of that year, i had been volunteering with the united nations development program [undp] in rural india. jo and i were based in kendrapara, a coastal district in orissa, and there was still evidence of the super cyclone + tsunami that hit the state in 1999. 10,000 people lost their lives and 1.9 million were affected, as a ten kilometre wide belt along the coast was flattened.
orissa, the second poorest state in india, is located on the east coast below west bengal. it is afflicted by myriad natural disasters, including earthquakes, droughts, floods, cyclones and tidal waves. in 2001, the undp implemented the 'education, communication + information' program, which has educated and trained many local village people as masons in new disaster-resistant, cost-effective building technologies. load-bearing walls are constructed using rat-trap bond, a modified version of flemish bond, introduced to india by eminent architect laurie baker. this method uses up to 30% less bricks and 52% less mortar, while maintaining high structural integrity. these skills were then disseminated [through capacity building and technology transfer] throughout the districts by the new masons. while it is culturally unfortunate that this construction type [pucca] will eventually phase out regional traditional housing methods [kutcha - mud, bamboo and thatched roof, often with exquisite timber carving on exposed roof beams], the new structures have greater thermal performance and can withstand natural disasters, thus rendering them crucial in local housing evolution.
although the villages we were focusing on had primitive basic infrastructure prior to the 1999 disaster, 3 and a half years later, any infrastructure was still pretty non-existent. sanitary facilities, roads, clean water and power are all crucial for human habitation. people were still bathing in and drinking from the same water source they wash clothes in and defaecate near, leading to unnecessary health issues. through social mapping exercises and habitat planning reports for five villages, we were able to guage the important missing features, and send reports to the indian government for examination, and [hopefully] further funding. each village was to have a new multi-purpose community centre [crucial in indian society], a new deep well and sanitary facilities, including latrines and bathing area. additional funding would see the construction of private residences.
to have worked in orissa and then see the extent of damage from the boxing day tsunami, my heart sank. i cried, helplessly, as i watched events unfold on the television. i clearly understood the processes and timeline ahead - far too many years, far too many brick walls [and not the ones required]. i was volunteering in an oxfam retail shop at the time, and the donations coming in for the next couple of months were thick. however, in such circumstances, these donations only see that immediate help reaches survivors - basics such as food, water, blankets. even then, you cannot be sure it reaches them at all. sanitary conditions remain tenuous, and the loss of life after such disasters due to disease and hygiene issues is often great. it would take many years to implement sufficient basic infrastructure; many more to house the survivors who lost everything. political games and red tape still stand in the way of construction. one of the engineers i worked with in orissa was stationed in the andaman and nicobar islands after the boxing day tsunami. he recalls the chaos disheartening situation in the immediate aftermath.
it was a small area we were working in, and it had taken many years to implement generally successful programs. the success was ultimately up to the locals; their enthusiasm and drive to learn and make appropriate change was fantastic. taking such programs to an affected area the scale of the boxing day tsunami was always going to be difficult. i know people who are still working in indonesia.
we so often take our western cities and western facilities for granted. and although there are currently thousands of rural australians throughout new south wales and queensland who have been affected by the recent, detrimental flooding [including loss of property, live stock, crops and subsequent livelihood; and the loss of some lives], insurance and government handouts will see that these people have enough to survive and that their dwellings are ultimately renovated/refurbished. of course, this doesn't take away the sadness, anguish and possible post-traumatic stress disorder. but it does make it easier in the long-run.
but after a natural disaster in a developing nation, such luxuries will never be afforded.
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