News
As floods cause havoc, monsoon from tomorrow
The havoc caused by rains, floods and landslides pushed the death toll to 73 last night with 127 people reported missing, the Disaster Management Centre said. However, Police and rescue workers said that the figures would be much higher as search and rescue operations in affected areas continued.
During the past 27 years, Sri Lanka has not seen such flood havoc as we see today with hundreds of thousands of people displaced and the death toll rising from landslides as flood waters rage in about 19 districts. Colombo and Gampaha Districts were among the worst affected as seen in this picture where desperate people are looking for signs of hope from the rooftops of their flood-hit houses. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Among the developments last evening was the evacuation of residents in plantation areas in the Nuwara Eliya and Kandy districts where fears of landslides were high. Police said residents in areas vulnerable to landslides were being brought to safer locations.
Fears of heavy rains again caused concerns for rescue workers, most of them security forces and police personnel last night.
“The combined effects of a tail-end inter-monsoonal season and the onset of the south west monsoon will lead to heavy rains from tomorrow (Monday),” Meteorology Department Director Sarath Premlal, warned yesterday.
His warning came as a major rescue effort was under way to evacuate those marooned and provide shelter and care for more than 375,600 affected by the rains, the resultant floods and landslides. The vast majority of them are in 497 welfare centres spread throughout the country. The figures are increasing by the hour; an official of the Disaster Management Centre said.
A Task Force of Security Forces personnel and those from the Civil Security Division will launch operations in the coming days to re-settle the displaced people, Disaster Management Ministry Secretary S.S. Niyanwala said. He said Grama Seva Niladharis were helping in assessing the extent of the damage caused.
The ministry secretary said the Government had released Rs. 92 million to District Secretaries and a further Rs. 55 million was on standby. Major General (retired) L.P.R. Mark said that floods and landslides had damaged 474 houses totally and 3,674 partially.
There were also those who were cashing in on the human tragedy. Senior Police Superintendent Ajith Rohana said at least 15 suspects had been arrested while trying to loot abandoned houses. He said Police countrywide had been instructed to take prompt action against those responsible for such inhuman acts.
Several friendly countries have responded to Sri Lanka’s appeal for emergency assistance. The first to arrive was an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft with relief supplies including blankets, water purification tablets, mobile toilets, medical equipment and tents. Two Indian naval vessels carrying more supplies including boats were due in Colombo last night.
The United States has donated $ 50,000 (Rs. 7.2 million). A US Embassy statement said a further one million dollars would be given under a three-year programme to provide potable water and other relief items for disaster victims. Japan has donated water purifiers, water cans, mobile generator units, blankets and sleeping bags. Australia donated $ 500,000 while the Chinese Red Cross provided $ 50,000. Nepal contributed $ 100,000.
Meanwhile, a third landslide was reported in Aranayake in the Kegalle District yesterday. Government Agent Abeywickrema Wanigasuriya said an estimated 3,000 people had left their houses. In the other two landslides in the same district, Military Spokesperson Jayanath Jayaweera said, more than 200 soldiers were still continuing their search for victims. A total of 41 bodies have been unearthed from the two landslides so far in the villages of Bulathkohupitiya and Thelangapitiya.