9th year end of Tsunami Disaster

Kalmunai is a municipality within Ampara District of the Eastern

Province of Sri Lanka. It had a total population of 91,457 as of 2001. Kalmunai is the one and only Muslim majority municipality in the country. There are Muslims, Tamils, Sinhalese, and Burghers with the Moors forming a majority.

Kalmunai consists of four major regions namely Kalmunai Town (Thalavatuvan Junction to Zahira College Road), Kalmunai North (Pandiruppu, Maruthamunai and Neelavanai), Kalmunai South (Sainthamaruthu) and Kalmunai West (Natpittimunai, Savalakkadai etc.).

The devastated Sri Lankan civil war has adversely affected the area with number forced disappearances, and civil unrest targeting the local civilians. It was also directly impacted by the 2004 Tsunami leading to number of deaths and destruction of property worth of millions of rupees.

Kalmunai is bounded on the east by the Indian Ocean on the north by the Periyaneelavanai village and on the south by Karaitivu village which is considered to be a suburb of the town.

Kalmunai is popular business town. It is beautified to the west by paddy field, east by the Bay of Bengal.