190,000 displaced in Batticaloa due to floods, 30% of paddy destroyed
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 December 2012, 20:33 GMT]
211 GS divisions in Batticaloa district have been affected by floods that have caused displacement of 190,966 members of 51,379 families in one week, civil officials at Batticaloa district secretariat said. Four persons were reported dead, one injured and two others have been reported missing in the floods. More than 4,000 houses were damaged. 30% of 155,000 acre paddy cultivation has been destroyed. 25,000 fishermen have lost their livelihood and families engaged in firewood and bricks making have lost their expected income. Several hundred heads of cattle have been washed away by the floods and those engaged in animal husbandry have lost their income, according to Department of Animal Husbandry sources.
11,530 members from 3,459 families have been staying in 34 transit centres as displaced, according to Disaster Management Unit in Batticaloa. 51,770 members of 14,323 families have been staying with their relatives and friends as displaced. Those affected people by the rain and flood have not been provided with any assistance by the Colombo government despite some NGOs assisting them to resume their normal life in a little way, DMU sources said. 250,000 metric tonnes of paddy produce were expected this Maha season, according to R.Hariharan, District Assistant Director of Agriculture. About 45,000 acres with paddy crops were under flood water for several days. Forty percent of minor crops such as maize, chilli, green grams and other crops were also destroyed due to flood. 4,035 houses were damaged due to one week long heavy rain and flood. Of them 1,261 houses were completely damaged and 2,774 partially destroyed.
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