Dr Sandeeka Mannakkara, in an article for Newsroom, shares her research on post-disaster recovery in Sri Lanka, revealing that “recovery rarely fails because of emergency response. It fails in the transition: the handover from relief to long-term rebuilding.”
Though this research is focused on Sri Lankan floods, it addresses an issue faced by many communities across the globe: rebuilding after a disaster just enough to cope, but not enough to be safer or more resilient in the long-term.
Mannakkara outlines three priorities for better recovery: clarifying governance early, engaging communities beyond consultation, and investing in local capacity. She then delves into common recovery missteps, before emphasizing the importance of addressing structural problems as part of the recovery process so communities are left stronger, not merely bracing for the next disaster.
Read on to learn more.
Source: https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/01/14/the-shift-from-flood-relief-to-recovery-is-where-it-can-unravel/
https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/items/84b3b41c-5f54-4e25-8942-01a7ba967fb6
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420924004904?via%3Dihub
