News
Flood of complaints of official apathy
Heavy rains in the past two weeks have affected many people around Wellampitiya, Ambatale and Kolonnawa. The residents in these areas complain that the water retention areas have been illegally filled resulting in flood waters. When the Sunday Times visited affected areas in the Colombo District the common complaint was there was little point complaining to the local authorities.
Sarath Pigera stands in front of his house.
Sarath Pigera, 53, from Wennawatte, Wellampitiya said for the past three years people have been filling up water retention areas and now even for a little rain their houses get flooded. “Those days the area got flooded only if the Kelani spilled over after heavy rains, but now the situation has changed. But now with the water retention areas being filled up drains and canals get blocked,” he pointed out.
He said he had decided to sell many of his electrical items as recurring flood waters were having their toll on them. Mr. Pigera also pointed out the threat of health hazards such as dengue as water levels took time to go down, becoming ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. “Earlier the water that came into the houses would be around one feet but now it goes up to about three feet,” he said.Thirty four-year-old V. Naguleswary, a mother of two and a resident from Wellampitiya lamented that her house and the vicinity was badly affected by flood waters following last Sunday’s downpour.
“All our belongings especially my daughter’s schoolbooks were washed away for the recent rain,” she said adding that since her house was situated on a lower level the water flowed into it easily and many of her electrical belongings have also been damaged. Adding to her woes the toilets were filled with flood waters and her family was forced to go to a neighbour’s house.
S.P Premaratne, 69 living on Lake Road Ambatale said the problem of flood waters was a recurring issue even with the slightest rain. “It is a huge problem for schoolchildren who have to wade through these murky waters.” He charged that the residents in the neighbourhood had complained many times to the Kotikawatte-Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha officials but little remedial action has been taken.
Mr. Premaratne claimed said when the Kelaniya River spills over the water level rises to more than four feet. Wasanthi Kumari, from the same area said they were thankful to the chief incumbent of the Galwana Temple in Ambatale for offering food and shelter for those displaced by the floods. She too blamed Pradeshiya Sabha officials for not addressing their problems and only remembering them during election campaigns.
According to the Disaster Management Centre, last Sunday, (June 2) 75 people from Kolonnawa and more than 190 from Ambatale were affected by the floods. Most of them had sought shelter at the Galwana Temple.
Meanwhile islandwide more than 900 people have been affected by floods, heavy winds and landslides. The majority of those affected were from the Nuwara Eliyua District.
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