More people evacuated due to flood threat

Nimal Wijesinghe-Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

Farmer families of Bisokotuwa, Kambiliwewa, Konwewa Weherawewa, Boralukanda and Ulpathgamawewa in the Padaviya Divisional Secretariat area are being evacuated due to heavy rains experienced in the area.

Women's Affairs and Child Development Minister Tissa Karaliyadda visited Padaviya and Welioya areas to receive first hand information regarding the flood situation and to make relief arrangements.

The two sluice gates of the Padaviya reservoir have been opened by four feet and two and half feet and residents in the downstream area have been warned to be on alert with regard to the increasing water level of Morawewa.

The bunds of the tanks such as Ulpathgamawewa Dangollawewa and Siyambalawewa have been severely damaged. Villagers assisted by security forces were repairing the funds.

Navy boats were deployed to rescue 156 families stranded in Kambiliwewa Koonwewa, Weharawewa due to floods.

Seventy six flood victims from the Bisokotuwa area are being accommodated at Padaviya Ayurvedic hospital.

The Anuradhapura Pulmuddai road and Padaviya Kebithigollwa road are not motarable due to the spilling of Aluthhalmilla wewa and the floods caused by the Morawewa.

Steps were taken to reinforce the bund of the Omarakada tank close to Padaviya with the assistance of civil security members, Police officers and villagers.

Karalliyadda told the Daily News that under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, arrangements were being made to provide cooked food, dry rations, milk powder and drinking water for the flood hit families with the support of Divisional Secretaries, Grama Niladaris and other field officers.