Rescue missions continuing, measures to distribute cooked food

Disna MUDALIGE

Rescue missions in areas affected by inclement weather are continuing with the support of tri forces and Police, Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

Addressing a press conference at the ministry auditorium yesterday, he said immediate measures have been taken to distribute cooked food to people in affected areas using boats. He said sufficient funds have been disbursed to provide immediate relief to the affected people.

Amaraweera said the leave of all staff of the ministry has been canceled with immediate effect through a circular adding that ministry officials have been dispatched to affected areas to monitor and coordinate all tasks.

The minister made a special request from all public servants at village level to volunteer in providing assistance to carry out relief measures to affected people considering it as a national responsibility.

He said 23 deaths had been reported due to inclement weather while another 15 people were missing and 34 people had been injured.

According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) situation report released yesterday afternoon 266,740 people belonging to 46,627 families had been affected due to bad weather, while 11,525 people belonging to 3,430 families among them had been provided with shelter in 63 evacuation centres. About 172 houses had been fully damaged while 978 houses had been partially damaged.

Flash floods had been experienced in Kurunegala, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Batticaloa, Chilaw and Hambantota districts and in several other parts of the country. Landslides and earthslips had been reported from Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and Badulla districts. National Building and Research Organization (NBRO) Director General Asiri Karunawardena requested from the people living in landslide prone areas to be extra cautious and advised people to avoid using roads which have been closed by the NBRO due to possible risks.

Meteorology Department Director General S H Kariyawasam said showery weather would prevail over the island today as well.

Irrigation Department Director General Janaki Meegasthenne said out of the 71 reservoirs belonging to the department, the water level of 31 reservoirs was over the spill level as at yesterday evening. Spill gates of 13 reservoirs had been opened while the water level of another four reservoirs had reached spill level. The water level in another 13 reservoirs was over 90 percent.