Bulk of the flood victims leave ECs
Ridma Dissanayake
The number of Evacuation Centres housing the displaced in the recent
floods and landslides has dwindled to 22 from the original 174.
The provision of relief assistance to flood victims are continuing
under the directions of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
In the 174 camps there were 56,747 persons from 15,281 families and
53,812 persons
from 14,693 families in 152 Evacuation Centres have already returned
to their homes.
The government will spend Rs.100,000 in repairing each totally
damaged house and Rs.50,000 for each house partially damaged due to
floods and landslides. Around 5,440 houses have been completely
destroyed and 25,488 houses have partially damaged.
Over 339,258 persons from 91,708 families were affected by the
inclement weather with 49 deaths. Seven persons are still reported
missing.
The relief assistance programme has been launched under the Yali
Pibidemu project (Re-awaking project) and Second Community Development
and Livelihood Improvement project implemented under the Economic
Development Ministry. These projects cover 16 districts including
Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Kurunegala,
Nuwara-Eliya, Matale, Galle, Matara, Monaragala and Badulla.
Re-awaking project Director S. K. Liyanage assisted by the Disaster
Management Officers are supervising the programme under the directions
of Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
Ministry officials have already visited all flood affected areas to
handle relief operations. The Government Agents are coordinating relief
work and 4,200 officers have already been deployed in the Northern and
Central Provinces for this.
In Mullaitivu 657 houses have been totally destroyed while 12,151
have been partially damaged. Over 1,700 families in Oddusudan Divisional
Secretariat have been affected. Dry rations have been distributed among
444 families in Vithiyyapuram, Muthayankaddukulam, Pandarawanni, Peraru
and Muthuwinayakapuram grama sewa divisions. The floods have now receded
but these people cannot move back in to their homes due to the damage
the floods have caused to their homes and property. Each family in the
Evacuation Centres is being provided with dry ration packs comprising
rice, coconut, dhal, salt, sprats, canned fish, milk powder and other
essentials.
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