Natural disasters and forced migration: the case of tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Migration has always been a traditional response or survival strategy of people confronting the prospect, impact or aftermath of disasters but it is quite interesting to understand how natural disasters such as Asian tsunami affect the social, economic and cultural pattern of the mobility of displaced population. Therefore, the present study attempted to examine whether the massive displacement took place due to tsunami has made any significant impact on the physical and social mobility pattern of the affected people in Sri Lanka by carrying out a microlevel study among displaced population of Hikkaduwa Divisional Secretariat Division in Galle district which was regarded as one the worst tsunami hit areas in Sri Lanka. Our investigation suggested that the displaced people who were forced to migrate to designated resettlement schemes are not satisfied with the new destination due to lack of public utilities, limited sources of earnings and high cost of living. This suggests, (unlike in normal situation where migrants are attracted to a particular destination) that 'push' factors at the place of origin operate in the opposite direction.