11 Jan 2011 - 18:06
The government has taken speedy measures to help the people affected by floods and land-slides with an allocation of Rs. 100 million for the welfare of the displaced and affected persons. The relief assistance programme is being carried out through the District Secretariats with the cooperation of Divisional Secretariats, Grama Niladaries as well as the Tri-service personnel.
The Minister of Health Mr. Maithripala Sirisena has appealed to the people and Sri Lankans overseas to contribute to the relief assistance measures. The Minister has pointed out that the affected people require mats, mattresses, drinking water, medicine and other essential items.
The Disaster Management Centre of the Ministry of Disaster Management reports that over 835,575 persons belonging to 220,265 families in 12 districts have been victimized by floods and land-slides. 123,732 persons belonging to 32,078 families are presently housed in 334 relief assistance camps. The death-toll has risen to 14 persons. 4,110 houses have been partially damaged while 932 houses have been completely destroyed. Majority of the victims are from the Batticaloa district, which received a rainfall of 317 millimeters yesterday. This is the highest rainfall recorded in the district for the last 100 years.
The Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is presently camped in the Eastern Province. He held discussions with government officials in the Ampara district yesterday, and was scheduled to visit and inspect the situation in Batticaloa today.
Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme office in Sri Lanka has announced that it will provide emergency food for the victims to support the government's relief efforts. This assistance will consist of 735 metric tons of assorted food commodities worth Rs. 55 Million. They will be distributed among the flood affected people in eastern province. Further more 105 metric tons of food had been distributed during the last four days. The process is being coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Disaster Management and the respective government agents.
Meanwhile, the Met Department informs that heavy rains and unfavourable weather conditions will prevail in several districts even today. Heavy rains are expected in the Eastern and North Central Provinces.
All schools in the Eastern, North Central and Central Provinces will remain closed. Many schools in the Central Province have been converted as relief assistance camps. Several schools are inundated by flood water. The Educational Authorities in Anuradhapura district have decided to keep all schools in the district closed until further notice.