Sri Lanka Floods: JDC Responds and Prepares for Future Rains

Last month, a severe series of heavy rains and subsequent flooding hit Sri Lanka, affecting hundreds of thousands of people living on the coast in the southwest part of the country. Sarvodaya (a partner since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami), plunged itself into relief activities on the ground, coordinated by the Sarvodaya/JDC Community Disaster Management Center. They focused on meeting pressing needs—food, clean water, and medical care. While the government-sponsored Disaster Management Center immediately reacted to the floods, the Sarvodaya team, and the resources provided by its partnership with JDC, proved most effective at reaching peripheral communities that were hit hard. As the monsoon season is expected to continue through August, we’ll continue to analyze efforts, specifically in communicating with remote districts and mobilizing teams of volunteers. We can’t control the rains, but we can continually improve our preparedness resources.