Monsoon rains block roads

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 January 1999, 18:11 GMT]
Food supplies to the villages on Jaffna's southeastern coast have been completely cut off since Friday, January 1, due to the inundation of the road to Naagar Kovil from Eluthumattuvaal said sources from Jaffna.

Heavy monsoon rains last week have flooded the road completely, making it impassable.

The SLA is using special means to reach their positions in Naagar Kovil and nearby areas residents said.

The only other access road to Vadamaradchi east is through Vallipuram, south of Pt.Pedro.

The SLA which controls this entry point at Vallipuarm does not permit the free supply of essential goods, fuel, medicine etc., because the villages on the coast between this point and Naagar Kovil are not under its control.

Bakeries in Vadamaradchi east have baked no bread since the Eluthumattuvaal road was flooded and other essential goods are rapidly running out of stock residents of the area said this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the world Food and Agricultural Organaisation will give three hundred fishermen affected by the war in various parts of the Vadamaradchi coast in Jaffna ,fishing gear worth five thousand Sri Lankan rupees each next week on Friday, January 8.

The equipment will be granted to the fishermen through the Vadamaradchi Federation of Fishermen's Organaisations.

The beneficiaries are from Katkovalam, Inparutty, Polihandy, Valvettithurai, Pt.Pedro and Supparmadam.

Several fisher families displaced from coastal villages such as Kankesanthurai and Mailiddy on the coast of the Valikamam division of Jaffna will be also granted the FAO assistance said officials.