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| Titel |
Vulnerability assessment and protective effects of coastal vegetation during the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka |
| VerfasserIn |
M. Kaplan, F. G. Renaud, G. Lüchters |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1561-8633
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ; 9, no. 4 ; Nr. 9, no. 4 (2009-08-25), S.1479-1494 |
| Datensatznummer |
250006909
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/nhess-9-1479-2009.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| The tsunami of December 2004 caused extensive human and economic losses along
many parts of the Sri Lankan coastline. Thanks to extensive national and
international solidarity and support in the aftermath of the event, most
people managed to restore their livelihoods completely but some households
did not manage to recover completely from the impacts of the event. The
differential in recovery highlighted the various vulnerabilities and coping
capacities of communities exposed to the tsunami. Understanding the elements
causing different vulnerabilities is crucial to reducing the impact of future
events, yet capturing them comprehensively at the local level is a complex
task. This research was conducted in a tsunami-affected area in southwestern
Sri Lanka to evaluate firstly the role of coastal vegetation in buffering
communities against the tsunami and secondly to capture the elements of
vulnerability of affected communities. The area was chosen because of its
complex landscape, including the presence of an inlet connecting the
Maduganga estuary with the sea, and because of the presence of remaining
patches of coastal vegetation. The vulnerability assessment was based on a
comprehensive vulnerability framework and on the Sustainable Livelihoods
Framework in order to detect inherent vulnerabilities of different livelihood
groups. Our study resulted in the identification of fishery and labour-led
households as the most vulnerable groups. Unsurprisingly, analyses showed
that damages to houses and assets decreased quickly with increasing distance
from the sea. It could also be shown that the Maduganga inlet channelled the
energy of the waves, so that severe damages were observed at relatively large
distances from the sea. Some reports after the tsunami stated that mangroves
and other coastal vegetation protected the people living behind them.
Detailed mapping of the coastal vegetation in the study area and
subsequent linear regression revealed significant differences
between three vegetation classes present in the area with regard to water
level and damages to houses. As our region showed homogeneity in some
important factors such as coastal topography, our results should only be
generalised to comparable regions. |
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