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Many families that survived the tsunami decided to build some sort of transitional shelter on the site of their destroyed house instead of moving to refugee camps. However, life for families choosing to live on their own is harder.
This is what Sajantha Peiris, 33, and his wife and two children chose. |
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Their house was 100 meters from the beach in Katakurunda. More than 50 families' houses along 300 meters of beach were destroyed. Sanjantha says he knows three or four other families living in similar circumstances, but that many of his neighbors were killed by the tsunami. Sajantha says his family lived in a refugee camp during the first week after the disaster hit, but he did not like the defenseless situation it put him in, so he returned to the ruins of his house and built a wooden cottage. When he can find employment, he works as a fish seller.
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The ruins in the area around The Peiris' house. |
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Kunil Canut Fernando lives in his damaged house with his wife and his brother's three children in Tayagatha Pura Modra. Kunil climbed the palm tree beside his house when the tsunami crushed his village, and he witnessed the death of many of his neighbors. The water almost reached the ceiling. He still does not know how he survived. His family is receiving help from the local pastor who is supported by Action by Churches Together through the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka.
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Kunil Canut Fernandopoints to the level the water from the tsunami reached in his house.
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Go to tsunami relief page
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