Combined mechanism to help flood victims

Rasika SOMARATHNA

A combined mechanism is in place to provide immediate relief to over 500,000 flood victims, on a directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Disaster Management Minister A.H.M. Fowzie said yesterday. He said that disaster management officials, local government authorities, security forces, NGOs and civil society volunteers had combined forces to lend immediate help to the affected.

He added that there was no shortage of funds and the President had promised whatever monies required to help the needy.

From an initial allocation of Rs. 80 million provided to his Ministry, Rs.25 million has already been spent on relief measures, he noted addressing the Media alongside Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at a briefing held at the Information Department auditorium to announce Cabinet decisions.

Presenting the latest figures on damages to man and property the Minister said that already 17 lives had been lost and the number of affected families had risen to 115,610. In addition 220 houses have been totally damaged and another 1039 partially damaged, he added. Also 81 temporary camps have been set up to provide shelter to 18,908 people, he added.

He further said that the victims were being provided with dry rations and cooked meals and added that Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s negotiations with several international donor organizations to get required food items had been highly successful. Dry rations and cooked meals are being distributed under the co-ordination of relevant District Secretaries, he added.

Minister Fowzie noted that long and short term measures to mitigate such disasters in the future were in the pipeline and in addition measures will be taken to prevent encroachment and pollution near canals. Quoting weather officials the Minister said that the torrential rains experienced may ease during the next two to three days.However we are preparing for the possibility of a major flood situation if it arises, as water levels of several rivers have been rising steadily, he added.