A’pura flood victims to receive Rs 50 m in compensation
Nimal Wijesinghe, Anuradhapura additional district
group corr
Around Rs 50 million needs to be allocated to pay compensation to
persons whose houses were destroyed by the recent floods in the
Anuradhapura district. Nearly 700 families will receive compensation,
Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
Flood victims in 22 relief centres |
Ridma Dissanayake
The Disaster Management Centre
said yesterday 2,935 persons from 588 families affected by the
inclement weather are accommodated in 22 evacuation centres.
Around 5,440 houses in the Northern, North Western, Eastern and
several other provinces were totally damaged by floods and
landslides caused by heavy rains and strong winds during the
past three weeks.
Over 25,480 houses have also been partially damaged by the bad
weather.
Disaster Management Ministry sources said they have to pay Rs
1,500 million to rebuilt and repair the damaged houses
throughout the country.
The DMC said the seven reported missing over the last three
weeks are yet to be traced with the Police and Forces’ members
conducting rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology Department said the low pressure
condition affecting the island was subsiding and showers will
decrease.
A department spokesman said however certain provinces will
experience showers during the coming days.
The low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal to the South East of
Sri-Lanka still persists about 450km from Pottuvil.
Under its influence, showery and windy weather will continue
over the island, the Met Department said. Heavy rainfall was
also reported in many areas with 100mm rainfall recorded in the
Eastern, Central, Uva and Southern provinces and in the
Polonnaruwa district. Showers or thundershowers accompanied by
strong winds at times will continue in the coastal areas
extending from Pottuvil to Matara via Hambantota with rough
seas. Fishermen have been warned to refrain going out to sea in
these areas. |
The minister who toured flood-affected areas in the district,
instructed Anuradhapura Government Agent Mahinda Seneviratne and the
District Disaster Management authorities to provide flood disaster
relief promptly.
Compensation is being paid on the basis of damage caused to a house
by the floods.
Rs 100,000 is paid for a completely destroyed housing unit whereas an
owner of a partly damaged house will receive Rs 50,000.
Agrarian Services and Wildlife Conservation Deputy Minister S M
Chandrasena said steps would be taken to save Horowpothana in the
Anuradhapura district from being submerged by flood waters by following
environment protection techniques, irrigation reforms and resettlement
programmes. |