The existence of data in varied types of formats in the National level organisations.

First Stage :

• Data in connection of fire hazards is maintained in accordance with the address of the place of incident. The Fire brigade does not maintain the details of damages and losses caused.
• Wild elephant hazards are also in existence only in respect of the person who had been subjected to the danger and in accordance with his address only. In the instances of damages caused and those who are subjected to the perils are not reflected in them, and it is mentioned as either loss of life or damage to property only. On certain occasions, a rough estimate of the damages is mentioned and only the sum of money received in respect of that damage is indicated.

Some organisations are in the habit of collecting the data based on their administrative unit requirement and connected to their subject matter.

Examples :

• The Department of Wild Life Conservation while collecting information in respect of their work does it in accordance with the administrative unit of their offices.
• The Unit established for the control of contagious diseases collects the data based on the MOH area.

Several organisations had been collecting the effects of one single disaster in various types of formats, as well as to be relevant to one’s own field of interest.

Examples :

• The wild life conservation offices maintain the data as reported to them in respect of harm done to lives of people and damages to property. In this respect the data of the damages caused to crops by elephants are directed to either the Provincial Councils or National Relief Services Center. If such agricultural crops have been insured the information is reported to the Agriculture Insurance Department.

Majority of Government Departments collect and maintain the data only for the purpose of giving relief aid. Therefore the details of those who do not qualify to receive relief aid, but adversely affected, the information is not reported or recorded.

Detailed information in government organisations at District and Divisional Secretaries’ areas with respect to the damages and adverse effects caused to the people during previous disasters are present only for a period 05 years or less. According to the normal system followed in government departments, information beyond the past 05 years, are sent to the Department of Archives or in the alternative, are destroyed.

All information exists in the form of written reports in various types of formats and annually the files are changed. Accordingly when it is required to refer to information pertaining to former incidents these officers are compelled to search for them in all the files which are very time consuming. Further these officers are not bound legally to supply these data directly to the Disaster Management Center, and further they require additional time for such an exercise.

When indicating the time of an incident, in some instances only the year is mentioned and on other occasions the month and the year only. If in a district other disasters occurs along with floods such as landslides, adverse effects in respect of these other disasters are presented as from floods only, and data has not been collected in respect the other incidents identifying them separately.