Flood situation abating: DMC

By Shezna Shums

The rain and flood situation affecting some districts around the island was gradually being brought under control said Assistant Director K. Kodippili  of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

Although the rains are abating, the Meteorology Department predicts that there will be showers in the next few days though not so severe as the last week’s rain.

The DMC confirmed that cooked meals, drinking water and dry rations were being provided to the affected families. The Divisional Secretariats in the affected districts have been provided funds by the Government Disaster Preparedness Project to deal with emergency situations.

Other essential items such as water pumps and motors have also been provided to the affected districts as relief measures stated Kodipilli.

To date the DMC records a total of eight deaths and 27,700 affected people, mainly due to heavy rains, floods and landslides. Ten persons have been injured, 69 homes have been fully destroyed and 336 houses have been partially destroyed.

The DMC has also set up seven Internally Displaced Camps which provide shelter and food to some of the families affected by the heavy rains. Around 425 persons are temporarily housed at these IDP camps. Other affected families had been evacuated to safer places.

The Disaster Management Centre said two persons had died due to a landslide at Damala.

The centre also confirmed that two navy boats had been despatched, one to Ruwanwella and the other to Avissawella in the Kegalle District to be made use of for evacuation of affected persons. Fifteen water pumps had also provided to the district to help in the relief work.

Kegalle District also saw the deaths of two children due to a landslide in Kendawa.

Two persons in Kalutara had died, one due to lightening and another due to drowning.

In the Colombo District, two navy boats had to be deployed in Kaduwela and Malwana for relief work.

The rains had also affected some families in Sinharamulla in the Kurunegala District and some areas in Ratnapura.

The Sri Lanka Army has kept on standby two platoons for any emergency relief work arising due to the rains and floods, which the Meteorology Department said was the norm than an exception.

Kegalle, Galle, Kalutara, Colombo, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Ratnapura Districts had been affected repeatedly by the heavy rains and landslides since the beginning of this year.