The information in respect of disasters and adverse influence of them are recorded in a twofold system.

• The Grama Seva Officer conveys the information of disasters and their adverse effects taking place in his division at first to the Divisional Secretary and then he in turn refers it to the District Secretary. During this process the Divisional Secretary or the District Secretary refers the same to any other responsible organisation in the area.
• In certain instances the information is reported directly to the state organisation.

Examples :

• Communicable diseases or any other such diseases are informed to the health related, authorities, and road accidents to the hospitals or Police Stations.
• Influence on different sectors are informed to telecommunication; telecom organisations, high ways; District Councils/ Provincial Councils/ Central Government, Water Supply; National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Fisheries; Department of Fisheries, Education; Department of Education, Health; Health Ministry.

It is evident that a large number of organisations are involved in the collection of data. In this respect main concentration was made to the following. The information in respect of individual specific disasters and their adverse results of the same are reported through a few relevant organisations.

• Wild elephant damage : Loss of life and damage to property to the Department of Wile Life Conservation; damage to agricultural crops to the Provincial Council or National relief Services Centre.
• Communicable and non-communicable diseases: Relevant information to hospitals and Health Centers; regarding relief/aid to National Relief Services Center.
• Fires: Fire brigade units of local authorities or Police Stations; the damages caused to District Secretary’s office or any other relevant organisation.

Similarly, many organisations collect information of adverse effects resulting in the same field through various disasters

• Damages caused to agricultural crops: Where crops are insured to Agricultural Insurance Board; Crops not insured to National Disaster Relief Services Center; in this respect small category disasters are deal with by the Provincial Councils.

The accumulation of information on disasters and reporting them are done with the intention of expecting aid or to grant aid. Aid or assistance will be granted only if the required conditions are fulfilled (The circular letter 2007/10 issued by National Disaster Relief Services Centre indicates further details in this respect). According to this circular there are many instances where the information of those who have been subjected to disasters and those who did not get any aid or assistance are not revealed.

After considering all above factors and inconsideration of the correctness of the data the following course of action was followed

• Identifying the organisations at National and District levels from where complete information could be collected, giving preference for the data collected from those organisations in respect of disasters.

Examples :

• Communicable diseases: Epidimiology Unit of Ministry of Health
• Relief aid : National Disaster Relief Service Centre
• Floods, land slides, lightning strikes, high winds: relevant data is through Grama Niladhari Officers, Divisional Secretaries and District Secretaries

Data should be obtained in respect of disasters from selected organisations. In this respect preference is given to the data available in these organisations.

Examples : Damages caused by wild elephants

• loss of life and damages to property: Department of wild life
• Damages to crops: Provincial Council or National Disaster Relief Services Centre, and Divisional Secretariat
• If the agricultural lands are insured: Agriculture Insurance Boar

Preference is given to organisations which are responsible for obtaining data connected to various hazards.

Examples :

• The effects on the lives of people at a time of a disaster: could be obtained from Grama Niladhari officer, Divisional Secretary, through District Secretary.
• Granting of relief / aid: National Disaster Relief Services Centre, Provincial Council.

The Center has been compelled to obtain data from various organisations depending on the nature of the disaster and the sector, and resulting damages. The relevant organisations have been already identified.

Examples : Damages from wild elephants attacks

• Agriculture Insurance Board for crops which have been insured, and for those which have not been insured, the Provincial Council or the National Disaster Relief Services Centre.