Project One: House Build at Peraliya

Location: North of Hikaduwa on the Galle Road

Impact of the Tsunami: Massive destruction, 3,000 villagers killed, including 1,640 people who climbed on a nine-carriage train for safety. It was derailed less than 100 metres from where the house stood and is officially the world's worst ever train disaster. The tsunami went several kilometres in land, and destroyed 90% of the village.

Project Details: Rebuild a three bedroom bungalow situated less than 100 metres behind the sight of the train derailment. Only one wall and parts of the footings remained sound, so it was a massive undertaking.

The job required removing unsafe walls, taking up the damaged floor, clearing the site, removing rubble, securing and replacing the damaged footings, building external and internal walls, building the roof, rendering the walls, plumbing the kitchen and bathroom and wiring the house. Dubbed 'Mission Impossible' by the team!

Timescale - 9 days!

Weather Details: Average temperature 35 degrees, but it topped 40 on several days. Heavy rain in late afternoon.

Workforce: Along with four local masons, and a few 'ad hoc' labourers almost every member of the team helped in some way.

Problems and Issues: To begin with, securing a JCB, a cement mixer and a contractor with sufficient labour was a problem. However, once this was done, Aramitar and his team sourced the materials and provided the expertise to make sure the job got done.

The heat was also a major problem as it regularly topped 40 degrees. Avoiding sunburn and dehydration was difficult, but we soon learnt to respect Sri Lankan working methods (avoiding the hottest part of the day, keeping heads covered to keep cool, and not over exerting ourselves). 

Other Information: The original house was built in the 1970's by Mr Armarasena for his wife (see picture below), and their son and daughter. Only the son was at home when the tsunami struck, and he had to climb on the roof with his cat and dog to escape. He saw the second wave approaching, carrying buildings and people in its wake. He was stuck on the roof for several hours. Just at the edge of the building site (30 feet from the front dor) are two mass graves where the bodies of over 1000 of those who died on the train were buried. Several bodies were later found in the trees, and the bodies of two babies were also discovered in the family well, all of which the family themselves cremated according to Buddhist rite. Bones are still being uncovered in the undergrowth.

Building Details:

After removing the rubble, loose walls, and clearing out the flooring, we used a JCB to reveal the footings, which needed considerable work to make them secure. Once the space between the footings was backfilled with rubble and then compressed down, the walls were built on top of the footings, the floors levelled and the roof constructed with local wood. Finally, the walls were rendered. The tiles were laid on the roof the day after we flew home. We tried, where possible, to re-use  bricks which were salvageable.

UPDATE - 12/04/2006

The house has now been finished, handed over and is now being lived in. Pictures of the completed house to follow ASAP. Click here for next project