Timing of mortality among internally displaced persons due to the tsunami in Sri Lanka: cross sectional household survey.

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.