Thousands of people displaced by the fighting in the north and east are pouring into government controlled areas. They are accommodated in over 40 welfare centres in the Vavuniya district.

The government spends a large amount of money to meet the urgent needs of the displaced people.

The people in the south have responded to the humanitarian crisis in the north by collecting and sending items that are needed by the people in the welfare camps.

The urgently needed items are ready-to-eat foodstuffs such as biscuits, tetra packs of milk, sugar, cereals, other dry rations, clothes, linen and cooking utensils.

The Armed Forces and Police, Presidential Secretariat and various other organizations have set up collection centres in Colombo and suburbs. One such official collection centre is located at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Hall of the BMICH.