Floods in Somawathiya Sacred area:

Two dead, 23 hospitalised

Chaminda Perera

Two devotees were killed and 23 hospitalised following floods in the Somawathiya Sacred area yesterday. According to the Disaster Management Centre, more than 200,000 devotees had thronged to the Somawathiya Sacred area for a special pooja that was held on Saturday.

The entire area and the adjoining roads were heavily inundated after incessant rains from last Saturday evening. Devotees were virtually trapped as all roads leading to the Somawathiya Sacred area went under water.

The SLAF helicopters which carried out a comprehensive rescue mission airlifted four devotees who were severely dehydrated to the Polonnaruwa hospital. According to SLAF spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara the SLAF distributed food to the trapped devotees yesterday.

Nanayakkara said the SLAF carried out five food drops to the areas where the devotees were trapped yesterday.

Meanwhile, Polonnaruwa Hospital sources told the Daily News that two devotees who were in critical condition were transferred to the Colombo National hospital yesterday evening.