Archives

Floods hit over 5,382 Gampaha families

by Nadira Gunatilleke

Over 5,382 families in the Gampaha district have been rendered homeless following floods which has also destroyed crops and livestock.

One death was reported from Dankotuwa.

The Department of Social Services has allocated Rs. 400,000 to provide dry rations for the victims, Additional Director R.M.Jayasinghe told the Daily News yesterday.

Divisional Secretaries of flood affected areas have been directed to provide dry rations for the families. The department has allocated Rs. 100,000 for the Gampaha district and Rs. 300,000 for the Kalutara district, he said.

Jayasinghe said 1,300 families in Wattala, 866 in Negombo, 500 in Katana, 1,100 in Ja-Ela, and 800 in Kelaniya in the Gampaha district have been affected.

Dodangoda, Walalawita, Matugama and Palindanuwara areas in the Kalutara district have also been affected. There are no reports of the number of families affected or houses damaged in the district. "We have informed divisional secretaries to send reports to accelerate the relief programme," Jayasinghe said.

Floods have been reported from Hanwella, Kaduwela, Kolonnawa, Kesbewa and Piliyandala areas in the Colombo district while Kottawa in the Galle district is also under water.

There are no reports of floods from other parts of the country.

According to the Meteorology Department, the weather will slightly improve but there will be scattered showers. Occasional showers with thunder can be expected in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces.

Meanwhile, the Automobile Association said a number of roads in the Galle and Kalutara districts have been affected by floods while the situation is normal in other districts.

In the Kalutara district, roads such as Horana-Anguruwatota, Pelawatta-Pitigala and Aluthgama-Agalawatta are impassable at ceratin sections.

Mapalagama-Elpitiya, Niyagama-Nagoda and Nagoda-Baddegama in the Galle district are impassable due to rising waters. In the Matara district, floods have been reported from Akuressa, Malimbada, Matara and Weligama areas. Twenty five families in the Weligama area have been displaced while several roads in Kamburupitiya and Akuressa are under water. Floods have also been reported from Baddegama, Balapitiya, Yakkalamulla, Habaraduwa, Thawalama and Neluwa Divisional Secretariat divisions in the Galle district.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager