Swift help for flood-hit

Rasika SOMARATHNA

COLOMBO: Government wheels moved swiftly to assist the affected as the death toll (16) and the number of displaced (over 150,000) rose alarmingly due to floods and landslides which wreaked havoc in seven districts.

Even by yesterday afternoon some areas adjoining Bulathsinhala and Parindanuwara in the Kalutara district were cut off due to flooding and the efforts of the authorities to reach the affected both by air and land had failed due to bad weather.

According to the District Secretary in Kalutara, the water level has been reached up to eight feet in Millaniya, Kalutara.

Twelve deaths have been reported in Kalutara while the balance four deaths were reported in Matara, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle and Galle, said National Organiser of the Disaster Management Centre, Colonel K. Ekanayake.

He warned that the death toll and the magnitude of destruction caused by heavy rains could increase as authorities make a proper assessment in the aftermath.

Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe who toured both Kalutara and Galle districts yesterday said that the Government was doing its utmost to help the affected.

The Minister said that Air Force helicopters and boats from the Navy had been deployed for rescue missions.

The Ministry has set up five Disaster Centres in the affected areas and according to Minister Samarasinghe steps have been taken to distribute dry rations and drinking water and other utensils for one week in addition to cooked meals for the affected families.

The Government has also despatched mobile medical units to the affected areas and all relief efforts would be coordinated by local authorities headed by the GA of the area, sources said.

Even by yesterday most by-roads in the Kalutara district were inundated and transport was at a virtual standstill. In addition 66,296 persons had been displaced in 238 Grama Niladhari Divisions. Seven deaths were reported in the district.

In the Galle district over 20,000 people have been displaced and according to GA, Asoka Jayasekera Neluwa, Tawalama, Nagoda and Baddegama areas has been the worst affected.

Transport in several areas are reported to be at a standstill with 19 GN divisions in the district experiencing heavy floods. One death was reported from Galle.

According to Additional Secretary of Ratnapura H. Pushpakumara over 25,000 people have been displaced due to floods and landslides with Kalawana Divisional Secretariat division being the worst affected where the Navy deployed several boats to evacuate the affected.

Steps have been taken to distribute dry rations and cooked meals in addition to other utensils for the displaced with an initial sum of Rs.10 million in the Ratnapura district.

In the Kegalle district which was another affected district 450 houses has been badly damaged, said Additional Secretary W.M.Abeywickrema. However by yesterday it was reported that water levels had gone down significantly.

Some areas in the Colombo District too have been severely hit with over 2,000 families being displaced, mainly from Hanwella, Kolonnawa and Kaduwela.

In the Gampaha district over 17,000 have been displaced due to flooding while in Matara around 2,000 people had to seek alternative shelter.

The torrential rains which lashed even yesterday has caused Kalu Ganga, Nilwala Ganga, Kelani Ganga and Gin Ganga to overflow sending thousands of families in the adjoining areas to seek shelter.

Authorities warned yesterday that five districts had been identified as landslide prone during the monsoon period - Kegalle, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle and Matara.

The Director of the Meteorology Department G.H.P. Dharmarathne said heavy rains would recede by tomorrow as the South West Monsoon had got fully established in the island.

He attributed the heavy lashing to the twin conditions of the onset of the monsoon and a low depression in the Bay of Bengal with the latter contributing heavily to aggravate the normal monsoonal conditions.

However the Met. Chief predicted a wet month ahead in the initial stages of the Southwest monsoon and added that strong winds too would be in the offing specially in the western part of the central hills.

Rs. 22m for flood victims

The Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Ministry will disburse Rs. 22 million to flood victims in five districts.

Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Risath Bathiyutheen at meetings in Kalutara and Galle district secretariats yesterday on the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, allocated Rs. 4 million for Colombo, Rs. 2 for Galle, Rs. 4 million for Gampaha and Rs. 10 million for Ratnapura. A Rs. 15,000 compensation will be paid to a family of a person who died in the floods.

Immediate relief and cooked meals will also be provided to flood victims, the release said.