Six dead, over 137,000 affected by floods

Disna Mudalige, Jaffna Special Corr and Kurunegala Central Special Ariyapala Wansathilake

Six people were reported killed and 137,976 people belonging to 13,704 families were affected due to the heavy rains which lashed the country during the last three days,

Disaster Management Centre Deputy Director of Media Sarath Lal Kumara said. He said 14, 596 people belonging to 3,686 families were still in 96 evacuation centres as at yesterday. He said the distribution of cooked food items and dry rations is carried out efficiently with the support of District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats. He said the necessary funds for relief measures have been disbursed by the Disaster Management Ministry. Roads in some areas were still inundated. However, he said flood waters in many areas were receding as at yesterday afternoon.

In the Jaffna District, 3,926 families were evacuated due to flooding. Twenty one houses have been completely damaged and a person was seriously injured when a branch of a margosa tree fell on him. A gale had paralyzed the telecommunication system and disrupted electricity in Vadamarachchi. In the North Western Province, almost 60 percent of the total cultivated crops and vegetables had been washed away. According to Kurunegala District Disaster Management Unit, the water levels in all the tanks in the North Western Province were rising to spill level.

Meanwhile, the Meteorology Department said the inclement weather conditions resulted from 'Cyclone Nilam 'would fade away and the country would once again experience sunny weather in the mornings and thunder showers in the evenings, which is typical during this time of the year.

Department Duty Forecaster Gayana Hendawitarana said sunny weather persisted yesterday morning in most parts of the island. She said the misty conditions experienced in Nuwara Eliya would also lessen with improved weather.

She predicted thundershowers at a few places in the Eastern and Uva Provinces during the afternoon or evening today. She also said there would be showers at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and in the Galle and Matara Districts in the morning due to impact of winds.