Last week’s tidal waves have eaten into stretches of shoreline, meaning Sri Lanka may have to re-draw those lines on its map, as it assesses the extent of coastal damage.
The Coast Conservation Department (CCD) is fielding a team to study Southern and Eastern coastal lines, badly hit by tidal waves that destroyed homes and claimed 30,000 lives.
“In Galle, about 30 m of coast area has gone to the beach, and in Arugam Bay in the East, as far back as about 100 m,” Deputy Director, Coast Conservation Department, R. Hewage said.
A more complete idea on the extent of damage will take a few days, Hewage says.
Many of the structure that has been destroyed were un-authorized - fishermen’s huts built along the beach, or restaurants, shops and other buildings, too close to the shore.
“About 90 percent of the buildings that were damaged by the tsunami were unauthorized, and many of the houses were constructed without a permit,” Hewage says.
The Department periodically demolishes unauthori