Torrential rain destroys homes

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 January 1999, 19:43 GMT]
Over 15,500 families have been affected by the torrential rains in Sri Lanka. The worst affected districts are Batticaloa and Tricomalee in the east of the island. Reports from these areas said that heavy rains continue to cause floods in these areas.

Ampara, Polannaruwa and Anuradhapura districts have also been badly affected .

Several areas in the Polannaruwa district are under water due to the overflowing of the Mahaweli River.

Two thousand two hundred and fifty families are displaced in the Vavuniya district.

Two thousand houses in Pothuvil, in the Ampara district, are under water and thousands of acres of paddy fields are destroyed in Thirukkovil.

More than 6000 families have been displaced and around 150 houses were damaged due to the floods in Trincomalee, Muthur and Seruvila.

One resident of Muthur drowned. Seruvila-Kanthalai road is also impassable.

Deputy Director of Social Services, M.D.Hettiarachchi, said over 450 houses were completely damaged by the rains.

Mr. Hettiarachchi, said that a sum of Rs.3.3 million had been allocated to relief operations. He said dry rations have been provided to refugees. He also said that compensation would be paid to affected families.

Deputy Minister of Post and Telecommunications and the Media, M.L.A.M.Hisbullah, said that cooked food was distributed to over 10,000 families in Batticaloa.

He said the Social Services Department has released one million rupees to the Batticaloa Government Agent for relief and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, Meteorological Department officials said that the rainy weather conditions in the north-east Province will continue over the next two days.

(1 US $ is approximatley 67 Sri Lankan Rupees)