News

News

Only drops of relief for flood victims
By Frances Bulathsinghala
As heavy rains and landslides in various parts of the country left at least eight dead and more than 800,000 displaced, a deputy minister said the distribution of aid to the flood victims was not taking place in an adequate manner and the situation could be worse than what was reported.

"Most of the gramaniladaris in the areas are also trapped due to the high levels of water and therefore are unable to report the accurate number of those affected," Deputy Social Service Minister S. M. Chandrasena said. Deputy Information and Media Minister Cegu Issadeen and the Deputy Social Welfare Minister yesterday toured the Ampara district, which is one of the worst affected to assess the crisis.

"At least 73,000 people here are seriously affected. Two of the worst affected areas are Maradamunai and Weeramunai," Deputy Minister Chandrasena said adding that the government would release about Rs. 17 million for immediate relief.

The Social Service Department's Disaster Management Centre director, N.D. Hettiarachchi, said that large-scale evacuation of people had begun in hilly areas likely to be affected by more landslides.

In Badulla yesterday more than 400 families were evacuated fearing landslides. He said there was however some good news from weather officials who predicted that there would be no more heavy rain at least for the next few days.

More than 10,000 acres of paddy land have reportedly been destroyed and more than 2,000 houses damaged while upcountry train services have been severely disrupted because of damage to railway lines.

Two deaths had been from Batticaloa, one from Nuwara Eliya and five from Welimada according to the Social Services Department. The areas worst affected by the floods are in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Ampara, Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts but flood waters were subsiding yesterday.

Top

Back to News