The Asian Tsunami: Aid and Reconstruction After a Disaster

by Sisira Jayasuriya (Author), Peter McCawley (Author)

A book review by Nicholas Newman – 14 January 2011 

 

The problem 

  

Disaster is a regular topic in the news, whether man-made or natural, in recent years there have been earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods. It would appear many disaster prone countries have failed to implement adequate pre-disaster risk assessment programs to mitigate the impact of such disasters.  

  

What is this book about? 

  

The authors of ‘The Asian Tsunami: Aid Reconstruction after a Disaster’ by Sisira Jayasuriya and Peter McCawley focuses on the events surrounding the Asian Tsunami of 26 December 2004. This book studies the rescue and rehabilitation efforts of local, national and international stakeholders in the aftermath of the disaster that killed 230,000 people and made 1 million people homeless. This book focuses on three of the affected countries, in this case Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.  

  

‘The Asian Tsunami’ is different from other books on the topic in that it is based on the work of researchers located in the affected countries, so is perhaps unique in being able to provide a local insight to the received international view on the topic. http://www.oxfordprospect.co.uk/The-Asian-Tsunami-Aid-and-Reconstruction-After-a-Disaster.html