Floods affect over 222,000

Priyanka KURUGALA

Around 222,908 people belonging to 61,254 families have been affected by bad weather the country experienced during the past few days, the Disaster Management Centre said yesterday. Thirty nine people died, 23 were injured and 12 were missing up to yesterday, Disaster Management Centre Assistant Director Lal Sarath Kumara said.

He said several main roads have also been closed due to floods and earth slips. Polonnaruwa - Batticaloa, Vavuniya - Jaffna and Nuwara Eliya - Welimada roads have been closed due to floods while Welimada, Haputale and Maiyanganaya roads have been closed due to earth slips, he said.

Meanwhile, 3,136 houses were fully damaged and 7,692 houses partially damaged.

Kumara said 92 evacuation centers have been setup islandwide accommodating 17,608 persons belonging to 5,162 families.

The worst affected are Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Matale, Kandy, N’Eliya, Hambantota, Galle, Kegalle and Ratnapura districts.

Kumara also requested the public not to swim in reservoirs until the weather improves.