Floods recede, most families return home

Rasika SOMARATHNA

COLOMBO: With water levels receding the evacuated families who were living close to the lower part of Kelani river banks in the Western province, returned to their homes yesterday.

Authorities took immediate steps to move families from the river banks (specially in Pahala Hanwella) to alternative temporary shelters as the heavy deluge experienced since Friday caused water levels to rise alarmingly.

Heavy rains which lashed several parts of the country causing floods and landslides left at least two people dead and more than 10,000 affected.

However the Meteorology Department yesterday ruled out any freak condition saying that this kind of rain was expected during the Southwest monsoon.

They said there was a slight disturbance which had contributed to enhance impact and predicted further showers specially in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts in the coming weeks.

One person in Matale had died as his house collapsed and another in Warakapola drowned.

Meanwhile the Disaster Management Centre said that the floods had receded in most areas.

In the Ruwanwella electorate over 400 families who had sought temporary shelter had returned home while in Dehiowita over 1,000 families had gone back to their original lodgings. Transport too had resumed in Avissawella.

In the Kalutara district too all the people who had sought alternative refuge had returned to their dwellings. According to authorities over 950 people were affected due to floods in Hanwella and in Kaduwela area too over 150 families had sought alternative shelter.

In Gampaha too flood levels had gone down and over 5000 people who had sought temporary shelter had gone back to their homes, authorities said.