Aranayaka landslide victims have no hopes of returning home

Even if it’s a difficult challenge to see through the rubble and piled up mud it’s close to unthinkable for families affected by landslides to think of owning a home sweet home again. Many families from Narangala, Jambugasmada and Ussapitiya areas like this family captured by our staff photographer are now stationed at the Rivisanda Central College 

(Pix by Kithsiri De Mel)

Landslides are not a new phenomenon for people in Aranayaka, a town in Kegalle District. In 2016, following the Samasara Kanda landslide, at least a 100 people succumbed to injuries while over 150,000 people were impacted. But this time, as many as 68 landslides have been triggered in this district since the Lower Kadugannawa incident, displacing many people and forcing them to look for alternative places to settle. 

A double blow 

Studies indicate that the 2016 landslide occurred in a place which was previously a rubber and tea estate. The area was later converted to a settlement in 1960s. However, new settlers too have continued to grow tea and other export crops as a livelihood. During a recent visit to Aranayaka, the Daily Mirror witnessed five large scale and minor landslides that were triggered in Mathalagala Kanda in Aranayaka. According to local sources, around 80% of landslides had occurred near tea estates this time and they blame tea companies for unregulated tea planting in vulnerable areas. In the aftermath of recurring landslides, a majority of people had started evacuating from their ancestral homes leaving behind their belongings, livelihoods and cultures they have grown up in. 

No plans to return home 

According to H. A Sunandalal, the entire terrain has been shaped by landslides that had occurred in the past. He said that most places in Aranayaka have been named after respective landslides that occurred many years ago. “Places such as Ambalakanda, Ganthuna, Narangala would be susceptible to more landslides in the future. People have been aware of the risk. In fact we were told that this is a high risk area and that it is not suitable for people to live in. So now, people don’t want to return home and our only hope is that we would be given houses in safer locations,” he added. 

People have been aware of the risk. In fact we were told that this is a high risk area and that it is not suitable for people to live in. So now, people don’t want to return home and our only hope is that we would be given houses in safer locations

- H. A Sunandalal

Walking through the Narangala landslide 

The Daily Mirror journalists then reached Narangala, now an abandoned area swept away by a massive landslide. Once a tiny hamlet bustling with life is at present surrounded by huge boulders that had come toppling down the hill, breaking off the bridge and the main route towards Dothal Oya. Natural water springs have occurred in various places – shifting the entire landscape in the area. 

With rains that continued over 5-6 days, people had been on alert. On the way to Narangala is a shop built adjacent to a house. According to eyewitness accounts, two members of this family were swept away by this landslide which was triggered on November 28. The grandmother’s body was recovered after three days. 

An Indian helicopter arrived and they rescued us. They brought us to the Rivisanda school ground and from there we were taken to the Dippitiya hospital. We experienced one landslide in 2016 and we lived in fear and again we faced the same plight. We hope that the government would take care of us

- W. P Wimalasena

“It was like a helicopter landing,” described Upali Senaratne. “But it was in fact the noise of boulders coming downhill. Everything happened in seconds and we had no time to react. We tried calling tri-forces, but they said that they cannot reach us since many landslides have obstructed the roads. With the support of ropes, some boys from the village rescued people in this town one at a time. Some people from Ratnapura arrived in backhoes and cleared the rubble off the roads. We still haven’t received compensation as promised. If we received money we could purchase a land from somewhere and build a house,” he added. 

We slowly reached Beravila, braving the rain, leech bites and landslides. But the situation in Beravila was worse. People were living off fruits they had plucked from trees. I lost my house and all my belongings. We don’t have a house, our tea estate or vehicle,

- Dhammika Wijethunga 

Life at a temporary shelter 

These scribes then visited several schools which have now been transformed into temporary shelters, housing people from different areas in Aranayaka. Around 400 families from Narangala, Jambugasmada and Ussapitiya are now stationed at the Rivisanda Central College. Staff deployed from the District Secretary’s office oversee operations at each Centre. Being one of the biggest temporary shelters, everything from food to sanitation facilities and other needs have to be met. Even though it is sometimes a challenge to manage people, the staff is doing their best to keep things under control. When these journalists reached this school it was lunchtime and people were queuing up to receive their meals. In the meantime, the Daily Mirror spoke to a few individuals to report on their experiences. 

We weren’t aware of landslides that had occurred during the night of December 26 as we were asleep. But our dog Sudu behaved in an unusual manner. It was as if she was trying to say something to my children. By this time we knew that many places around us were subject to landslides

- Susil Kumara

Pet dog Sudu plays rescue role

Susil Kumara and his family of six were able to evacuate thanks to the early warnings given by their pet dog ‘Sudu’. “We weren’t aware of landslides that had occurred during the night of December 26 as we were asleep. But our dog Sudu behaved in an unusual manner. It was as if she was trying to say something to my children. By this time we knew that many places around us were subject to landslides. A few hours later another landslide occurred in front of our house and without a second thought I took my family and escaped. So now we are at this temporary shelter and Sudu is also with us. We can’t go back to our houses because there are cracks. We hope the government would give us new places to stay,” he said. 

Rescued after four days 

Even though many families escaped in the immediate aftermath of landslides, some families weren’t that lucky. W. P Wimalasena had no chance of escaping as he has a disabled child and he too had undergone a spinal surgery. Trapped from all corners, Wimalasena and his family along with few others had to seek shelter inside a tea shed and had remained there for four days. “My mobile phone was about to switch off due to low battery. But I had a contact of just one individual whom I thought would be able to rescue us. So I called her and told about our situation. She told us to stay where we were and that we would be rescued soon. For four days we didn’t have any food. On the fourth day a Pakistani helicopter came to our rescue. But it was too big and they couldn’t do a safe landing. Subsequently an Indian helicopter arrived and they rescued us. They brought us to the Rivisanda school ground and from there we were taken to the Dippitiya hospital. We experienced one landslide in 2016 and we lived in fear and again we faced the same plight. We hope that the government would take care of us,” he said. 

Left with clothes and a mobile phone 

Dhammika Wijethunga and her family had settled in Narangala around 45 years ago. They hadn’t had any fear of landslides even in 2016 as their house was located on a valley. But on November 28, when several landslides were triggered around her house, Dhammika had started to worry. “My house disappeared in seconds. We couldn’t believe our eyes. Trees were being uprooted and there were huge boulders rolling downhill. But despite such a risk we couldn’t leave immediately as some of our loved ones were missing. We couldn’t call anybody as there was no reception. So we were trapped,” she said recalling events that unfolded.  Subsequently, Dhammika along with her two daughters, son and husband had started walking towards Ambalakanda. “We slowly reached Beravila, braving the rain, leech bites and landslides. But the situation in Beravila was worse. People were living off fruits they had plucked from trees. I lost my house and all my belongings. We don’t have a house, our tea estate or vehicle,” she said in tears. 

Resettlement is becoming a huge challenge: Aranayaka DS

In the aftermath of the landslides, around 169 safe centres were established to provide temporary shelter for displaced people in the entire district. According to confirmed records, 33 people have died while another 38 are reported missing. In terms of property damage, at least 292 houses have been fully damaged while another 13,577 houses are partially damaged. 

Even though the number of safe centres has reduced to around 57, several challenges persist. “Resettlement is becoming a huge challenge,” said Jagath Herath, Aranayaka District Secretary. 

“Most areas prone to landslides including Aranayaka, Bulathkohupitiya, Warakapola, Yatiyanthota and Rambukkana are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural dissasters. So we need recommendations from National Building Research Organisation as to whether people could be resettled in these areas. People in fully damaged houses have to be relocated elsewhere. Around 3000 more houses are considered vulnerable and these people have to be relocated as well. The biggest challenge is that we are unable to find lands for relocation because many of the lands in Kegalle district are located in hilly areas. We never thought a landslide would be triggered in a place like Monrovia Estate in Warakapola. Around 20 people were killed there. Certain landslides were triggered in unexpected places. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed us to facilitate relocation soon, either by providing them with a house or by providing money for people to purchase a house and support them to restore their livelihoods. So we will look into the needs of people and restore their lives back to normalcy as soon as possible,” he added.