Community Tsunami Early Warning Centre established at Telwatta in Galle

On several occasion just after the tsunami disaster, the displaced people who were living in temporary shelters along the coastal belt ran away panic stricken of another tsunami. This situation of uncertainty and constant fear continued to prevail and at the beginning mischief makers exploited the situation by spreading false alarms.

The affluent families vacated the tsunami devastated villages and settled down in safer village but the less fortunate villagers continued to live in the same village even though the painful memories of tsunami diaster constantly haunted their minds. Realising the plight of these tsunami displaced people of Telwatta, Peraliya and Seenigama identified as the worst affected coastal villages of Galle district, a group of volunteers had already started a Tsunami Warning Centre the first of its nature ever established in Sri Lanka at Telwatta, in the Galle district.

Sri Lankan Doctor Novil Wijesekara, Alison Thompson, a volunteer nurse from new York City and the British Editor of the popular Magazine UK - Metro, James Ellis since January 2005 had been planning in this novel venture and their dream of a Tsunami Early Warning Centre became a reality in June this year.

In order to start this humanitarian project Alison donated 3000 US Dollars and this Tsunami Warning Centre is located by the Galle-Colombo highway at Telwatta. Seven young boys from tsunami affected families of the area had been identified and a training was given to then on Information and Communication Technology (IC).

Exit roads leading to safer locations already been demarcated and name boards giving correct directions fixed within Telwatte, Peraliya and Seenigama.

At strategic points in these villages a network of public address system is functioning. As a devise to make sure the smooth functioning of the network of loudspeakers, Pirith is broadcasted early morning daily from the Centre. The staff members work on 6 hour shifts and throughout the day surfing of the Web Sites of United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre are done.

As this Tsunami Early Warning Centre at Telwatte is also registered under the above International Institutions of forecasting on natural disasters, it will be kept informed of natural disasters.

Usually before giving any warning to the surrounding villages, such disaster warning received will be further checked with the Colombo Office of Metereological Department and the Geological Department.

In addition several Coordinators stationed in many parts of the world are in touch with the Centre at Telwatta over the phone and they keep the Centre informed of emergency situations and send E-mails on atmospheric changes.