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Planning of Data Collection and level (National / Subnational):

Problems faced while collecting relevant data from various sources.

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Certain problems were noticed in the data pertaining to after effects of disasters while they are being reported in the news papers.


  • When the data are being presented by the newspapers pertaining to the damages caused as a result of disasters, they are given only at the district and the national levels
  • In the same way the disasters caused on account of various calamities are reported inadequately in the news print. In the majority of instances the newspapers report only the damages caused to people, dwelling places and crops
  • When there had been less effects and when such incidents are taking place continuously such news are reported in the news papers very sparingly
  • In the same way the same incident is reported in the news papers for a couple of days
  • The government organisations do have data only for a very short period of time (less than 5 year)
  • There are instances where the effects of disasters are not being reported as the collection of data is based only for the purpose of relief aid

There are problems in summarising all the information as every individual organisation had been collecting the effects of one single disaster in various types of formats, and also only as relevant to one’s own field of interest. The data in respect of disasters in every field are being collected by the relevant government organisations, and in some of these instances the damages caused in respect of each disaster have not been identified separately.

Examples:
  • If there had been floods along with land slides and some other calamity on the same day, information in respect of all the incidents are reported as either floods or that of land slide, or as of both

The data at the instance of a disaster is not collected at the level of either by the Divisional Secretaries Division, Grama Niladhari Division or by all the organisations who are concerned about these incidents. In certain instances only the place of occurrence is mentioned. In such occasion the DMC has to find out the Divisional Secretaries area where the incident had taken place

Examples:
  • The damages caused by wild elephants are reported only in respect of the address where the incident had taken place. In the same way in case of a fire the fire brigade which attends to it, reports the incident only by giving the address of the place of incident

Certain organisations base their collection of data in respect of disasters in keeping with their subject area only, and as required by their administrative units. And as a result there are problems in separating such data at the level of Divisional Secretaries areas.

Examples:
  • The information in respect of communicable diseases the information is reported in keeping with MOH Units