Tsunami victims get permanent houses

By Sinniah Gurunathan

Permanent houses were handed over to twenty families in the Kinniya division, among the hundreds affected by the tsunami. Each house was constructed at a cost of Rs. 660,000 with a floor space of 635 sq.ft on 20 perches by CARE International, which is also providing electricity and water supply along with other infrastructure facilities such as roads.

Families affected by the tsunami along the coast line at Kinniya have been re-located in Naduoothu, several kilometres away from the sea. CARE International Sri Lanka Country Director Nick Osborne handed over the houses to the beneficiary families at an event held at Naduoothu. Kinniya Divisional Secretary M. Mubarak also participated in the event.

Kinniya division was the worst affected by tsunami with the highest death toll of more than 400 in the eleven Divisional Secretariat divisions in the Trincomalee district. Another 53 permanent houses are under construction at Rahumaniya Nagar in Kinniya under an owner-driven program, CARE officials said.