Colombo, Gampaha take brunt of bad weather spell

Priyanka KURUGALA

Notwithstanding the end to the bad weather spell, nearly 15,203 persons comprising 3,615 families are still being accommodated in 99 temporary shelters countrywide.

Nine people died and 15 were injured while one person was missing during the period of the inclement weather, the Disaster Management Centre said in a release yesterday.

The total affected are 206,799, comprising 49,358 families while 4,781 houses were partially damaged and 342 houses fully damaged.

The Disaster Management Center said temporary shelters have been set up through out the island. Two temporary shelters have been set up in Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya - seven, Colombo - 24, Gampaha - 45, Badulla - 19 and Ratnapura - two.

Among the displaced are 3,615 families. The total number affected in the Colombo district by the floods is 68,429 (14,845 families) while the fully damaged houses are 11, and partially damaged 40. Colombo has 24 temporary shelters accommodating 2,425 persons belonging to 692 families.

No deaths and injuries were reported from Colombo.

In the Gampaha district, 61,971 individuals were affected by floods. They belong to 14,608 families. Forty five evacuation centres have been set up. Out of this, 36 are in the Wattala Divisional Secretariat.

Meanwhile, 10 houses were fully damaged and 68 partially damaged.

In the Gampaha district, 11,429 individuals are in evacuation centers. They belong to 2,635 families. One death was reported from Gampaha.

Both districts were badly affected by the floods.

In the Kalutara district, 132,088 individuals (29,873) families were affected by floods and gale.

In the Northern Province 56,263 (15,356 families) were affected.

Fully damaged and partially damaged houses numbered 184 and 3,181. A total of 9,906 persons from 5,260 families were affected in the Jaffna district. This included 2,443 (610 families) in Vavuniya and 10,120 ( 2560 families) in Mannar. In the Northern Province, one death and one injury were reported.

Two evacuation centres have been set up in the Northern Province for 68 families.

Meanwhile, 2,611 ( 633 families) were affected in the Central Province. Two deaths were also reported while nine houses were fully damaged and 459 partly damaged.

In Nuwara Eliya, 78 families were evacuated due to an earth slip. Two deaths and two injuries were reported from the Southern Province due to strong winds and heavy rains.

Eighty four houses were fully damaged with 315 partly damaged. In the Trincomalee district, 5,331 individuals belonging to 1,338 families were affected.