Floods now subsiding

By Shezna Shums

Following the recent rains and lightning experienced in the country seven people have died and over 24,000 people have been affected. The deaths have been caused not only by the flood waters but also by lightning experienced over the last few weeks.

Emergency Operation Centre Director, Brigadier N.B.Weragama of the Disaster Management Centre said that the floods were subsiding in some areas and the situation was getting back to normal. Commenting on the recent rains Brigadier Weragama said that the recent floods were not as bad as what the country experienced earlier.

Recent reports said that the areas worst affected by the heavy rains were Ratnapura and Kegalle Districts.

In Ratnapura, seven persons had died while four persons were injured with 42 houses fully damaged and 328 houses partially damaged.

In the Ratnapura District three persons died due to being struck by lighting, while three persons including a child had drowned and another person had died following a landslide. It was also reported that the Kaltota-Demodara Bridge had been damaged due to the floods.

In the Ratnapura District 5822 families consisting of 24, 143 persons had been affected with 42 houses fully damaged and 328 houses partially damaged.

In the Kegalle District the DMC records that the worst damage was seen in the Warakapola area where the Kuda Oya had overflowed and caused the roads in the surrounding areas to be inundated. “One person who had drowned was removed to hospital” said Weragama.

Six families consisting of 25 persons were affected due to the flooding,” he added, further stating that two houses had been fully damaged while another two had been partially damaged.

In the Kurunegala District, 50 families consisting of 300 persons had been affected.

The DMC said no deaths, injury to persons or damage to property had been reported from the Kurunegala District.  The Diaster Management Centre said that island wide a total of 5878 families had been affected with 5 persons suffering injuries. Deaths due to lightning had numbered 23.  The Centre also said that 45 houses had been fully damaged while 331 houses suffered partial damaged in the whole of the affected areas.  

Meanwhile yesterday (2) a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Management was held at Temple Tress presided over by the President. The Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Ministers in charge of several Ministries as well as selected members of Parliament from the Government as well as the Opposition participated at yesterday’s meeting.