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Early warning systems for communities
‘At the time the 2004 tsunami hit Sri Lanka, not many people knew about such a thing as a tsunami wave,’ says one of our local staff members. ‘Although on the day there were signs of an impending disaster with the changes in the sea, people weren’t aware enough to take necessary action as a precaution.
‘However, 20 years on, there is an increase in raising awareness and training people in disaster risk reduction in disaster-prone areas in the country. Many organisations, together with the National Disaster Management Center, have developed plans for each district to be better prepared in the event of a disaster.
‘They’ve run many projects to set up community-level Disaster Management Committees to reduce the impact of a disaster through early warning systems and training on what to do to stay safe in the event of an emergency.
‘The committees receive training in camp management, first aid, health, search and rescue and early warnings. In many areas, evacuation routes and disaster-preparedness plans are developed and displayed in common places where everyone can see them.
‘Therefore, 20 years later, communities are now more aware of the possible disasters and are ready to take action based on the alerts or warning signs provided.’
In Indonesia, Tearfund has worked with schools in Aceh, training teachers and headmasters in 167 schools to implement a risk reduction curriculum.
Children are among the most vulnerable when disasters occur, but they also present an opportunity to deeply embed the kind of knowledge that could save lives in their communities from an early age.
And in Thailand, there is now a nationwide tsunami early warning system. The government has installed tsunami detection buoys in the Andaman Sea, and sirens, alarms and communication systems are now in place to warn coastal populations of an impending tsunami. These systems were crucial in preventing loss of life during subsequent events such as the tsunamis in 2012 and 2019.
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Response plans for humanitarian agencies
At the time of the tsunami, the response in terms of giving by the general public was outstanding. And humanitarian organisations were eager to get involved and do whatever they could to help. As might be expected of any sudden situation involving such a large number of people and such a magnitude of need, the way support was given was not always perfect.
Learning from this, humanitarian organisations have now developed coordinated plans and standard operating procedures that are ready to go in case of a disaster, so that a response can be quicker, more efficient and more effective, and not waste precious time and resources by duplicating efforts.
Tiurma Pohan, Tearfund’s Response Manager for Indonesia, lived about 250 miles from Aceh and remembers feeling the earthquake at the time. ‘It was quite long,’ she says. ‘I tried to find information but didn't know which area was affected by the earthquake. Communication was lost and there was no news on television or radio. Only a few days later it appeared on television that a large earthquake occurred in Aceh causing a tsunami.
‘When the news was on television and I saw such a sad situation, my heart was broken to realise how vulnerable you are in times of disaster.
‘The lesson we learned from the 2004 tsunami is that we cannot work alone and cannot respond in all sectors. All the organisations, including the government, were not ready to respond to the massive impact of the disaster when it happened.
‘Building networks with local organisations, including churches, is so important. Because they are right there in the community. If disasters happen in their area, they are the ones who are able to get information to us [aid organisations], and they can also respond immediately and meet the basic needs of people who have been affected.’
Currently in Indonesia, Tearfund is focussing on helping churches become better equipped to act as first responders in the case of disasters.
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Local accountability
Another vital issue that was raised during the immediate response was a crucial need for any work by aid organisations to be completely transparent and accountable and to focus on feedback from the people affected in terms of what they actually need. This shifted the emphasis towards working more closely with local communities to provide support where it is needed with the input of the people who need it.
The focus on local leadership and ownership allows people to feel more empowered and better prepared for the future.
Prabu Deepan is now Tearfund’s Asia Regional Director. He is from Sri Lanka and was there at the time of the tsunami. He says: ‘20 years later, it’s still the people on the doorstep of disaster who are the unsung local heroes providing the most immediate relief and support to people affected by devastation. That’s why Tearfund works with the local church and community to map hazards, build resilience and set up early warning systems so that people can be better equipped to save lives and respond in the first few days of a crisis and beyond.’
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Sustainable, local development and disaster risk reduction
In many of the places where Tearfund responded, the rebuilding of communities needed more than just the immediate provision of emergency supplies. It became even more clear that sustainable solutions to the problems of disaster and poverty needed addressing.
For example, in India a fishing community has been relocated so that it is at least 500 metres away from the sea shore to minimise the risk of any similar disaster.
Families have been moved, with Tearfund support, to safer houses with strong foundations and with sanitation, hygiene and water provision. Children’s parks and multi-purpose buildings for community use have also been built.
Along with carrying out disaster drills and teaching people to be prepared, Tearfund has also helped the community lay a sea wall and plant fruit and coconut trees in the areas of the coast most vulnerable to high tides. These protect the houses and land and have also created a green environment, as well as giving the families fruit to eat.
In Thailand, post-tsunami recovery efforts focused heavily on rebuilding infrastructure that is not only stronger but also more resilient to future disasters. Coastal buildings, roads and seawalls have been designed with disaster resilience in mind, ensuring they can withstand future tsunamis or storms. Public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, are now also equipped with evacuation plans and shelter facilities.
Thailand has also been actively working to restore mangroves and coral reefs that act as natural barriers against tsunamis, storm surges, and rising sea levels. These ecosystems are critical to both disaster risk reduction and the broader climate change adaptation strategy.
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Diversified livelihoods
After the tsunami, many communities, especially those dependent on fishing, realised the need to diversify their livelihoods to reduce their vulnerability to this kind of disaster. In response, Thailand has implemented programs to help people transition into eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture, and small businesses. This shift has provided economic stability, ensuring communities have more than one source of income, even in the face of natural disasters.
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Psychosocial support
Many of our staff and partners across the regions mentioned a loss of confidence in people after the trauma of such a giant disaster. To address the psychological impact of the tsunami, especially on children, Thailand developed a resource called The Day the Tsunami Came. This has been repackaged and used in other humanitarian responses, including in Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis, and in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo after the Ebola outbreak.
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