PLC provides immediate relief for land slide victims
Saturday, 15 November 2014 00:10
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After the massive landslide that occurred early Wednesday morning (29 October 2014) burying a row of line houses in Haldumulla, Badulla in the island’s upcountry; both PLC branches of Badulla and Bandarawela volunteered in providing relief for the affected.
It has been reported that around 70 line-houses, seven government quarters and a kovil have been destroyed. It is said that this is the worst natural disaster since the tsunami in 1994. The landslides have divided the Koslanda and Meeriyabadda villages which required authorities to announce two secure points at Sri Ganesh Tamil Maha Vidyalaya, Koslanda and Poonagala Tamil Maha Vidyalaya, Meeriyabedda as crossing over was not possible for the affected.
PLC Badulla immediately communicated with the authorities and volunteered relief for the affected community. At the request of Divisional Secretariat Rohana Keer-thi Disanayake and at a very short notice the branch was able to supply (with the available stocks in the market place at that time) cups, plates and other essential items to Udaya Kumara, the Assistant Director, District Disaster Management Unit, Badulla to distribute among the affected community who found shelter at the secure points.
Following the slide, authorities ordered another several hundred residents of nearby communities to evacuate due to the risk of further landslides.
In consultation with E.M.S.B. Jayasundara Divisional Secretary (DS) of Bandarawela and (Acting DS of Haldummulla) and Sanjaya Weerasinghe, (Assistant DS of Haputale), four Divisional Secretariats Ella, Haldummulla, Haputale and Bandarawela were identified as locations which require relief items in the neighbourhood of the Bandarawela branch.
Accordingly PLC Banda-rawela immediately visited BodhirukkaramaTemple in Liyangahawela which is the secure centre announced in the Bandarawela area. The Chief Incumbent monk confirmed that families who sought temporary shelter in the temple premises required water facility and requested for two water tanks to store water. In response the branch provided two 1,000 litre capacity water storage tanks to benefit the affected community on 4 November 2014.
The branch also visited the secure centre in Tamil School; Kahagala which provided temporary shelter for the vulnerable community lived in the Kahagala Estate. The branch provided disaster relief packs which contained essential food and non-food items worth Rs. 1,500 each to 50 families. Sanjaya Weerasinghe, (Assistant DS of Haputale) confirmed that PLC was the first to visit the Haputale Divisional Secretariat to support the vulnerable community.
PLC Bandarawela also visited the disaster hit community from the Glananore Estate in Haputale to support the community who found temporary shelter in the Yahalabadda School. The branch also distributed 42 disaster relief packs which contained essential food and non-food items worth Rs. 1,500 each among the affected.
“We are pleased that we could be of some support to provide relief for the disaster affected in the areas we operate and thankful to our staff for the enthusiasm and the volunteer spirit demonstrated in unison throughout to extend help for the affected,” stated the heads of branches Chaminda Yapa and Chandika Jayaweera of PLC Badulla and Bandarawela branches respectively.
