Monday, 02 June 2008 - Heavy rains over the past few days have caused flooding and landslides has wreaked havoc in several parts of the country, leaving at least four people dead and displaced over 100,000 people.
The Government yesterday allocated Rs 15 million as an initial sum for the flood affected.
The Met Department issued a warning yesterday (June 2) that there was a risk of more landslides and floods as heavy rains would accompany the onset of the Southwest Monsoon.
National Coordinator, Disaster Management Centre, Colonel K. Ekanayake said four deaths had been reported from Matara, Galle, Kalutara and Kegalle districts with the flood prone Ratnapura being the worst affected with more than 4,000 families already seeking temporary shelter.
According to Colonel Ekanayake the situation in Ratnapura was getting worse with the waters of the Kaluganga beginning to swell alarmingly. He said that steps were being taken to evacuate people living along the river bank. Navy boats had been deployed to evacuate the affected.
A warning has also been issued to those living in low lying areas of the Kelani Ganga, especially in the Colombo district, urging them to find alternative shelter as their is a threat of the river overflowing if the rains continue.
Meanwhile it is reported that transport has been badly hampered in several areas due to landslides and the rising water levels which had left several roads impassable.
Transport from Avissawella to Hatton and Kegalle is reported to be affected due to roads been inundated. Several roads in the Galle Ddistrict are impassable with the Neluwa Divisional Secretariat division the worst affected.
Several roads in Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kalawana, Elapatha and Kuruwita Divisional Secretariat divisions in the Ratnapura district are impassable due to earthslips and flooding.
Colonel Ekanayake assured however that all measures have been set in place to assist the affected with a properly co-ordinated mechanism involving government authorities in the area.
The conditions are expected to settle down in another couple of days with the Monsoon getting established and the weather pattern is expected to stabilise with occasional showers according to the normal Monsoonal pattern.