• 66% of Houses Reconstructed
• 91% of the houses are being completed or the work is in progress

Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress in restoring normalcy in Tsunami affected areas of the North and the East. Reconstruction and recovery activity under the aegis of the Government has been rapid. A majority of the displaced have returned to their homes and their livelihoods were restored. The memory of the disaster is gradually fading. It is being replaced by the brighter things that life has to offer to the unfortunate victims.

Overall in the North and the East, 80,120 houses were destroyed by the Tsunami. 53,103 new houses have up to date been re-constructed. This figure represents 66% of the requirement. Work is in progress in respect to reconstruction of 19,582 houses. This figure combined with the houses already completed totals a percentage of 91% of the houses required to be built.

Sri Lanka Recovers
Despite the effects of the Tsunami and the rise in oil prices the economy grew by 6% in 2005 and 6.4% in 2006 and it is estimated that Sri Lanka will record a growth rate of 6.0% + in 2007. 2006 was an outstanding year with overall unemployment declining to 6 .4 %, whilst in 2007 the unemployment figure was 5.4% which is one of the lowest the country has recorded. Exports grew by 8% in 2006 and in 2007 they registered 12.4% growth to 7.7 billion dollars whilst the country was able to attract over 2 billion US $ in foreign remittances. The FDI inflow exceeded 500 million US $ thereby highlighting foreign investor confidence in the resilience of the Sri Lankan economy. In 2007 the country reached the landmark of US$ 1400 per capita income hence becoming a middle income country on the global map.

Displaced move out of transitional shelters into reconstructed permanent homes
88% of the Tsunami IDPs living in temporary shelters in the North and East have been re-housed in permanent dwellings.
No. of  Tsunami IDPs in temporary shelters as at Dec. 2005             -  43, 406
No. of Tsunami IDPs in temporary shelters as at 1st June, 2007      -  10, 411

Permanent housing re built in all affected areas
While the Government played the primary role in reconstruction, development partners, civil society and private donors made a significant contribution. 90,415 houses out of the 120, 563 houses that were partially or fully damaged have been re-constructed at a 74.9 % achievement level.

Restoring livelihoods all over the country
An estimated 150,000 people lost their livelihoods as a result of Tsunami damage, including workers in fisheries (50% total jobs lost), service sector (45%) and agriculture (5%). To date, livelihoods restoration has been via cash grants, cash for work, asset replacement, and micro-finance systems.

Health – No outbreaks of disease
The Ministry of Health, along with Development Partners, prevented any outbreak of disease among affected populations in the Tsunami aftermath, and also over the past two years in the face of other difficulties. The Government of Sri Lanka also developed a National Policy in Nutrition that defines the overall nutrition strategy of the country including response in time of disaster. A National Mental Health Policy was approved and is under implementation and efforts are under way to develop national disaster response capacity through the National Health Sector Emergency Preparedness plan and establishment of a trauma secretariat.

Education:
School attendance of children previously enrolled at Tsunami damaged schools and schools damaged through use as IDP camps has been brought back to normalcy through establishment of temporary buildings, repair of damaged structures or temporary arrangements for children to attend nearby functioning schools. Reconstruction of directly damaged schools (total 183) is making marked progress and 94% schools are in different stages of re-construction.

Protection for all citizens
Mechanisms and campaigns for strengthening the prevention of abuse, exploitation and neglect of children and women in Tsunami affected areas were developed and Disaster Relief Monitoring Units Helpdesks have been established in nine Tsunami affected districts to monitor services and address grievances. Achievements also include the establishment of 19 Social Care Centres across the Tsunami affected areas of the country.
 
Transport
Roadways - The Tsunami road recovery initiative was aimed at providing a reliable, durable and safer road system in the Tsunami-affected areas. In the structured plan 5 major bridges on A2 road i.e. bridges linking Kalutara to Matara at Akurala, Seenigama, Magalla, Goyyapana and Weligama have been completed, along with Eastern Province bridges such as Koman bridge and causeway (A004), Koddaikallar Causeway (A004), Kallady bridge (A004) and Oddaimavadi bridge (A015). The progress is in line with the milestone plan and construction will be completed on time.

Railways - Losses included buildings, offices, quarters, workmen dwellings, gate huts, parapet walls, culverts, etc. 75% of the buildings have been reconstructed and the renovation work in respect to the rest is in progress. The damaged railway track on the coast line, Trincomalee line and Batticaloa line were restored within two months of the Tsunami.  91% of the damaged signal system has already been restored.