Irrigation tanks overflow, A9 repaired
[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 December 2002, 15:53 GMT]
Transport on the A-9 highway was interrupted Wednesday morning as heavy
rainfall worsened the conditions of the already damaged highway between
Umaiyalpuram and the Chemical factory in Paranthan. The Tamil Eelam
Administrative Service, The Tamil Eelam Police Service and the Tamil Eelam
Traffic Police jointly repaired the road and transport was restored to
normal by Wednesday night, the Voice of Tigers radio said in its news
broadcast.
The radio said that the Muhamalai army checkpoint remained open at night to
allow traffic. Passengers and drivers complain, however, that they still face severes
difficulties in their travel as the highway has been severely damaged at
many points between Elephant Pass and Paranthan. As the rain receded in the Vanni Thursday morning, officials said that
nearly 700 homes are submerged in floods and many families who resettled in
their homes following the ceasefire agreement are being affected again. They
have sought refuge in safer places, along with the cattle and livestock they
raised as part of their rehabilitation plan. As a result, there is a danger
of diseases spreading, the officials said. Meanwhile, in the Mullaitivu district, 5 big irrigation tanks are
overflowing, and many roads are submerged in water, causing disruption of
transport services, said the government agent for Mullaitivu, Ms. Imelda
Sukumar. In the Thunukkai Assistant Government Agent division, 132 families have
sought refuge in a school, said the GA. She added that she has sought the
assistance of the Department of Social Services. Because the area has been
cut off from Puthukkudiyiruppu where the secretariat is located, the GA said
she is unable to gather information from other AGA divisions and that heavy
rainfall may destroy paddy cultivation in the area.
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