Disaster risk reduction and post disaster infrastructure reconstruction in Sri Lanka

Disasters resulting from natural hazards such as floods, drought, earthquakes, cyclones
impact societies in several ways, while damaging lives, infrastructure and resulting in
financial and environmental losses. Therefore, prevention of disasters through reducing
disaster risk has been critically important to minimise the impact of disasters. A
proactive stance to reduce the toll of disasters requires an approach with both predisaster
risk reduction and post-disaster recovery. However, the world is gradually
shifting from disaster response to a more proactive approach to disaster management.
However, integration of disaster risk has been identified as a key priority within the post
disaster reconstruction process. Accordingly, the main aim of this paper is to draw
attention to the importance of integration of disaster risk reduction in to post-disaster
infrastructure reconstruction, which is a part of a doctoral research. Infrastructure
reconstruction programs aim to change the vulnerable conditions for the development of
the country. It is well identified that all critical infrastructure facilities must be designed
to a given level of safety from disaster impact. The research based on which this paper
is written aims to reveal the contribution of integration of disaster risk reduction into
post-disaster infrastructure reconstruction on economic development. This paper reveals
the disaster risk strategies used in general and in specific to the post-tsunami
infrastructure sector in Sri Lanka and discovers their success rate. Further, the paper
discusses the challenges associated with integration of disaster reduction into post tsunami
infrastructure reconstruction projects.