2ND LEAD (Correction)

Monsoon rains damage refugee shelters

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 October 2005, 01:33 GMT]
Tsunami affected families living in temporary shelters in several parts of the Trincomalee district are facing another displacement with the looming monsoon rains and associated flooding that will make the temporary shelters uninhabitable. Floodwaters have already entered several temporary shelters in the north of Trincomalee town due to heavy rainfall in the district Monday night, non-governmental organization sources said.

Several families were forced to seek refuge away from their temporary shelters. Heavy rains not only damaged the cadjan roofs but also flooded toilets posing a serious health hazard, NGO sources said.

Trincomalee district officials of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) Tuesday went to Kinniya division and started distributing plastic tents to cover the cadjan roofs of temporary shelters preventing rainwater entering, sources said.

TRO Kinniya co-ordinator Mr.K.Nallasivam with his officials distributed a consignment of about 150 plastic tents to occupants of temporary shelters in Kooba Nagar and Alankerni village, sources said.