Sri Lanka News | Online edition of Daily News

Blessings for President

Greeting: Religious ceremonies were held at the Presidential Secretariat for 2011 to bless President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunga and Presidential Secretarial staff. Here President Rajapaksa being blessed by Inter-Religious Alliance for National Unity, Co-Chairman and Colombo Dewatagaha Jumma Masjid Chief Imam As-seyed Hassan Moulana . Picture by Sudath Silva

The Sri Lankan Government handed over a consignment of tea to be distributed among flood victims in Queensland, Australia. Here, External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris presenting the consignment of tea to Acting Australian High Commissioner Sophia Mcintyre. Picture by Rukmal Gamage

Landslide warning

The National Building Research Organization yesterday warned of a possible landslide in the eastern slopy areas of the Central Province if the north eastern monsoonal rains continue to prevail.

According to Landslide and Studies Department Head of the organization senior geologist R M S Bandara, there would be possible landslides in slopy areas in the Badulla, Matale and Nuwara Eliya districts, if the rains continue.

Various human activities including the pollution of environment has been attributed to over 90 percent of the landslides that took place in the Central Province.

He was of the opinion that landslides can be averted if constructions are carried out in accordance with the safety standards.

NCP schools closed

All schools in the North Central Province were closed yesterday on account of the heavy rains experienced in the region during the last few days. If rains continued a decision to close schools for a few days more would be taken today, said NCP Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake.

Opening

The renovated and modernized Tower Hall Theatre will be opened by Prime Minister and Tower Hall Foundation Chairman D M Jayaratne at 6 pm today, January 11.

Drama

A drama will be staged to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Ex-Army Women’s Association at 2 pm on January 15, 2011 at Mahanama College, Colombo 3.

A drama titled “Duwe Numbai” depicting acts of heroism of women soldiers will be staged following commemoration of women soldiers killed in action.

Landslide death toll rises

Security Forces, Police and rescue workers digging for survivors at the site of the Deveni Rajasinghe Mawatha landslide in Getambe, Peradeniya yesterday recovered two more bodies from the debris raising the death toll from the tragedy to six.

The other four bodies were recovered from the site on Sunday afternoon. About 15 members of the same family are believed to have been buried in the landslide. Among the bodies identified were that of R Sellammah, V Allarani, C Susila, M Chandrika and a Municipal employee named M Weeraiyah.

Seven persons injured were admitted to the Peradeniya hospital. Police and the Security Forces yesterday dynamited the heavy boulders to help the rescue effort.

Flood deaths: Govt condoles

Mass Media and Information Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday expressed sympathies on behalf of the Government to the families of the victims who died on account of landslides and floods during the last few days.

The Minister also sympathized with others who have been displaced and injured on account of the inclement weather conditions.

He said on the instructions of the President, the Government has taken all steps to pay compensation to the families of the dead and provide food and other facilities to the affected people.

Ten spill gates opened

Ten spill gates out of 30 of the Rajangana reservoir were kept open last Sunday morning due to the prevailing heavy rains, said the Reservoirs Resident Engineer M J M Kaleel.

He further said that the spill gates opened have been kept open to a height of six feet enabling the flow of fifteen thousand cubic feet of water per second.

Road mishap kills one

A cyclist admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo after receiving injuries in a van-bicycle collision on the Puttalam-Anuradhapura road near the 8th Mile Post, has succumbed to his injuries. The cyclist was P Don Piyaratne (51) a resident near the 8th Mile Post.

Another move to benefit consumers

The program to distribute vegetables and fruits at affordable prices to consumers organized by the Food Promotion Board was launched by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene at the Ministry premises yesterday.

The Minister said the Food Promotion Board will sell these items bought from cultivators to consumers keeping a small profit margin eliminating the middlemen who are making immense profits by selling them at jacked up prices. These items will be sold by mobile vans at central points in Colombo and suburbs. The program which will provide a fair price to cultivators will also enable consumers including office workers to purchase their vegetables and fruits without hassle at affordable prices.

Irreparable damages to vegetations and tea cultivations:

Heavy rain in Nuwara Eliya

Saturday’s and Sunday’s continuous heavy rains for 18 hours and the continuing heavy showers have rendered 47 families comprising over 100 members destitute and being housed at the Cinisita new town hall.

The affected families were living near the Nuwara Eliya Race Course. Meanwhile, irreparable damages have been caused to all vegetations including tea cultivations in the low lying areas in the district and around the city limits due to continuous rains.

According to several planters, their tea production have reduced due to the unexpected heavy rains and the workforce subject to serious economic problems on account of it particularly in the Agarapathana, and Dimbula plantations.

The entire Municipal council team led by the Mayor assisted the affected families by providing cooked foods and other dry rations.

It is sad that neither the Ceylon Turf club or the Municipal Council has brought in any remedial measures to present water flooding from the stream running along the town, the Victoria Park and the Race Course, since this stream gets flooded over the years, whenever there is heavy rains almost all the major irrigational reservoirs tend to rise and the authorities have taken steps to open a number of sluice gates.

Tanks overflow

Almost all large, medium and small-scale tanks in Anuradhapura district started spilling resulting from the continuous torrential rains being experienced at present.

According to the District Disaster Relief Centre 1,200 persons have been displaced due to rain and floods so far in Horowpothana, Dematawewa and Koonwewa areas and they are provided with cooked food and shelter since January 9.

The Agrarian Services and Wildlife Affairs Minister S M Chandrasena supervises the execution of the flood relief measures in the region being stationed in Horowpothana.

Most of the roads in Kahatagasdigiliya, Horowpothana, Padaviya and Ipologama areas are inundated as a result of tanks overflowing. Anuradhapura Zonal Irrigational Director Wasantha Bandara Palugaswewa said that there was only 06 inches more for the spill level of the Huruluwewa tank.

”The surplus water from Manankattiya tank was reaching the Nachchaduwa reservoir at a speed hence we decided to cut off the “breaching bund” of Nachchaduwa to ease the heavy pressure being caused to the tank. Also due to the overflowing of Yan-oya and Malwathuoya thousands of residents along the banks and the suburb areas are facing a threat of being evacuated and all cultivations in the region are devastating. All residents living in the vicinity of all major reservoirs have been warned to be vigilant.

Meanwhile Navy personnel equiped with life saving boats and other gear have come forward to help the flood victims.

Municipal council to the rescue

Several incidents due to heavy rains were reported from the Kandy Municipal Council area.

Residential facilities have been provided in the Municipal Council area’s community centers for the victims of floods and earthslips. Kandy Mayor Raja Pushpakumara said that the authorities had taken relief measures such as the provision of food items to the victims with the cooperation of the people of the area. The Mayor said that all the ruling and opposition members of the Municipal Council had come forward to help the victims. He appealed to the people of the area to contact authorities of the Municipal Council in an emergency using the telephone Nos. 0812222275 4, 0814472368-9, the Mayor on No. 0777804035 or the opposition leader on 0773543205.

DIG warns villagers

Central Province Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne said yesterday that villagers in certain places of the Kandy area threatened with possible earthslips had been requested to move away from those areas or else they would be forcibly removed.

He further said that many settlers were reluctant to leave their places though the areas were threatened with possible earthslips and other mishaps due to torrential rains during the past few days. Navaratne added that authorities in the Disaster Management Centres were trying hard to identify the earthslip-threatened areas and evacuate the people.