The collection of data through Government organisations were carried out in two occasions. They were done separately taking national organisations first and the district level organisations thereafter. Collection and the recording of data from the National level organisations were commenced in November 2006 and completed in January 2007. In this connection National level organisations were earmarked in respect of each of the disasters.

• Communicable diseases: Epidemiological Unit, Ministry of Healthcare & Nutrition
• Human and wild elephant conflicts: Department of Wildlife Conservation
• Fire hazards: Fire Service Department of Colombo Municipal Council.
• Provision of Relief Aid: Department of Social Services (up to the year 2004), Disaster Relief Service Centre
• Landslide: National Building Research Organization
• Crop damage : Department of Agriculture
• Wind events : Department of Meteorology

All these organisations were coordinated by the DMC. Each of these organisations had in their possession the connected data in all types of formats, and all such documents were available in written form, and permission was not granted to take the original documents in their possession out of such premises.

Three research assistants were engaged for this activity and they photographed all original documents in the very same organisation and the centre got them printed subsequently. The Research Assistants thereafter filled up the relevant forms with the assistance of the all such copies of information printed out were filed along with the connected forms which had been completed.

The data collected from the national level organisations were in different formats, while the names of the related Divisional Secretaries divisions had not been included there, except the address of the places of incidents.

Examples:

• The data in respect of fires are in existence only in relation to the address of the place of the fire.
• Incidents of damages caused by wild elephant were again indicated by the place of such incident or the address of the place of resident of the person also had been subjected to damage.