Rains displace over 50,000 families
Tidal waves unearth corpses at Wadduwa-Pothupitiya
cemetery:
Disna Mudalige, Panadura Group Corr Kapila Somaratne and Ratnapura
Special Correspondent A.S.L. Niroshana
Over 50,000 families were reported displaced by floods caused by
torrential rains that lashed several parts of the country during the
past three days. The worst affected was the Gampaha district where over
15,000 families were displaced. Another 10,000 families were rendered
homeless in Kalutara.
Meanwhile, earthslip warnings were issued in parts of Ratnapura,
Kalutara and Galle by the Disaster Management Centre following
yesterday’s heavy rains.
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President orders relief for
flood-hit |
The Disaster
Management Ministry has given Rs. 1 million to District
Secretariats on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s instructions to
facilitate immediate relief to people affected by the bad
weather in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.
Many people living in low lying areas have been severely
affected by floods due to the continuous rain in many parts of
the country. Funds will be allocated to distribute cooked food
and also house those affected in temporary shelters.
District Secretariats are also given Rs. 900,000 to repair
drainage systems so that the flood waters will settle down in
the low lying areas. The government will take immediate measures
to grant relief to victims affected by the bad weather.
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Several roads in the major cities were impassable due to massive
flooding. In Colombo, long lines of vehicles were seen marooned in the
water which at certain points had risen to nearly five feet.
In the Kalutara District, around 10,000 families were displaced and
they were given shelter in temples and schools in far away areas.
Facilities were provided to distribute dry rations to the people in the
area. The telecommunication service in the area was completely affected.
The electricity supply was interrupted in Panadura.
Heavy rains also damaged around 50 houses and properties in the
Moratuwa-Angulana coastal area. The Wadduwa-Pothupitiya cemetery was
damaged due to strong tidal waves while several corpses had also been
unearthed. The Kalutara Divisional Secretary visited the cemetery and
arrangements were made to protect the cemetery. In the Ratnapura
Angammana area, several houses and electronic equipment were damaged due
to lightning.
Strong winds had damaged 400 acres of banana cultivation in the
Embilipitiya Divisional Secretariat.
In the Galle district, many roads were under water and cultivations
in Galle, Baddegama, Nagoda, Hammeliya, Mapalagama, Hiniduma, Holuwagoda
and Keebiela were destroyed.
The Meteorology Department announced that due to the prevailing
pre-monsoon conditions and low level depression in the Bay of Bengal,
about 700km away from Trincomalee, more rain or thunder showers will
continue in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, South and Central Provinces.
This will also spread to the Eastern Province. Strong winds will
continue in the Southwestern region of the country. The sea areas off
the Southern and Western coasts will be windy and rough at times. |
