President orders immediate resettlement of Miriyabedde victims

President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed officials to take immediate action to find alternate accommodation for those affected by the Miriyabedde landslide.

Reports stated around 77 families were displaced following the landslide.

President Maithripala questioned officials regarding steps taken to provide shelter to the landslide victims, instructed the officials to give resettlement priority and see that the families are resettled.

Officials have identified land suitable to resettle the families and the President issued orders to the Finance Ministry Secretary to release funds to construct houses for the displaced families.

The President also instructed the authorities to send a team on 14 May which included the Disaster Management Minister, an official from the Finance Ministry and other government officials to visit the area and submit a report on their findings by Monday. He issued the instructions at a meeting with the National Council for Disaster Management at the Presidential Secretariat on 11 May. This was the first meeting of the Council since January 2013.

Addressing council members, the President expressed his regret for not meeting even once last year after having experienced a number of disasters. He underscored the importance of actively getting involved in projects to safeguard people from natural disasters. Officials told the President that the main reason for landslides was constructions carried out without proper inspection.

The President also asked about steps taken to resolve the issue of providing clean water to the people in Valikamam in Jaffna.