Important Aspects of Evacuation Planning for the Coastal Communities in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean which has suffered from various disasters in the recent past. Flood events which occurred in the last three consecutive years clearly shows that the country is affected from climate change. During a disaster event, evacuation of vulnerable and affected communities is necessary to reduce the number of deaths. In the Sri Lankan perspective, most of the recent disasters severely damaged the coastal belt of the country. This study was carried out to evaluate the different aspects of evacuation planning with respect to the coastal districts in Sri Lanka. Some of the aspects considered are early warning dissemination, evacuation routes, shelters, drills and training and the effects of having a family vehicle, disabled people, neighbours and domestic animals. During this study, an online questionnaire survey was distributed after carrying out an in-depth literature survey to gather data. The lack of trust in authorities who disseminate early warnings and limited knowledge on evacuation routes and shelters in the residential areas are some of the key issues which were identified during this study. Furthermore, it was identified that social media plays a pivotal role in disseminating the early warnings in the urban areas. Increasing the number of awareness campaigns related to evacuation and using social media wisely are some of the recommendations made, which will build the coastal community resilience via proactive measures.