OCHA says over Rs. 3.5 b urgently needed to meet most critical needs of 374,000 flood-hit people

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said $ 22.7 million (over Rs. 3.5 billion)  is urgently needed to meet the most critical needs of 374,000 affected people from last month’s devastating floods and landslides in Sri Lanka.

OCHA said on 25 and 26 May, incessant heavy rainfall brought by the southwest monsoon triggered flooding and landslides in 15 of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka. The damage is extensive. Some 630,000 people have been heavily affected, including at least 150,000 are women and girls of reproductive age and over 189,000 chiladren. The floods and landslides destroyed or damaged more than 9,000 houses and temporarily displaced 73,560 people to 354 locations. To complement the ongoing Government-led response, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) isrequesting $22.7 million to address the critical life-saving and protection needs of 374,000 people in seven districts from 1 June to 31 October.

According to OCHA the top priorities are: Alleviate human suffering by providing immediate life-saving and protection assistance to communities affected by the disaster; facilitate early recovery of the most vulnerable households through emergency livelihood and provision of basic services; and strengthen the resilience of affected communities to cope with and recover from the disaster.

OCHA has requested all humanitarian partners, including donors and recipient agencies, are encouraged to inform the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Sri Lanka ([email protected]) and OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service (fts.unocha.org) of cash and in-kind contributions by e-mailing: [email protected].