Citation

Nishikiori N, Abe T, Costa DG, Dharmaratne SD, Kunii O, Moji K. Br. Med. J. BMJ 2006; 332(7537): 334-335.

Affiliation

Research Center for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.38693.465023.7C

PMID

16399768

PMCID

PMC1363911

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the distribution of mortality among internally displaced persons during two and a half months after the Indian Ocean tsunami, 2004. DESIGN: Cross sectional household survey with retrospective cohort analysis of mortality. SETTING: Camps for internally displaced persons due to the tsunami in an eastern coastal district of Sri Lanka. PARTICIPANTS: 3533 people from 859 households accommodated in 13 camps. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All cause death and number of missing people. RESULTS: 446 deaths and 11 missing people were reported after the 2004 tsunami, of which most (99%) occurred on the day of the tsunami or within three days thereafter. No deaths were reported for the two and a half month period starting one week after the tsunami. CONCLUSIONS: Most mortality after the 2004 tsunami occurred within the first few days of the disaster and was low in the study area.