By Dharshana Jayawardena.
A tractor loadof cleanup debris hauled away.
Despite tough conditions about 20 volunteers from the divelanka@yahoogroups cleaned up the Hikkaduwa reef on the 5th & 6th of Nov 2005.
Strong inner reef currents and low visibility hindered the volunteers efficiency but the team managed to fish out the remaining Tsunami 9.0 debris to a greater extent.
Piles of cloths, bags, steel pipes, asbestos sheets, wood and even a intact Elephant House Lemonade bottle (now sits in the www.DiveSriLanka.com museum!) was recovered.
Perhaps the only large outstanding item to be removed is the capsized glass bottom boat wreck.
This cleanup was organized and funded by Janith Neththicumara of the Eco Club.
Hikkaduwa Reef Cleanup organized by the NARA - January 2005.
About 20 volunteers swam and snorkeled for two days recovering debris as a result of the Tsunami 9.0. Despite the considerable amount of junk in the reef, it seemed to be very healthy and full of fish life. In fact we would go as far as to say we have never seen so much fish in this reef ever before. Perhaps the reef had taken a much needed break from humans and recovered its health.
The team managed to extract vast amounts of various types of debris such as cloths, bags, steel pipes, construction debris, bottles and wire.
This clean up was coordinated by Arjan & Dr. Malik from NARA.