Floods in Northeast strands tsunami displaced

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 November 2005, 23:30 GMT]
Over three thousand tsunami and war affected refugees living in transitional shelters and temporary huts in the NorthEast have been again displaced due to heavy rain during the last two days. Normal life in several parts of the northeast province has been disrupted and several low-lying areas in the districts of Jaffna, Killinochchi and Mullaithivu have gone under floodwater. Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) has deployed volunteers to provide basic facilities to displaced families who are now being sheltered in public and school buildings and with relatives. Hundreds of families have been affected by torrential rains in Batticaloa and Trinco districts.



Tsunami affected families residing in temporary structures have been affected badly due to heavy rain. Shelters in Uduthurai, Chempianpattu and Mamunai in Vadamaradchchi east division are under floodwater.

"As water in many irrigation tanks in Vanni have reached spill level destructive levels of flooding is expected in two or three days," TRO warned in an appeal to the international humanitarian organizations for joint efforts to overcome hardships faced by the people in the affected areas.

The people displaced from Mullaithivu town, Karaichi kudiyiruppu, Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu district, Vadamaratchi East in Jaffna district and Kandavalai, Murukandy and Kilinochchi town in Kilinochchi district have been relocated in makeshift camps created in public builidings, TRO said.

TRO's Emergency Rescue Team, volunteers from local organizations and LTTE cadres are helping people encircled by water in Vadamaradchi East, Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi, to move to safer areas. UNICEF, UNHCR and SCiSL are also providing assistance.

Tarpaulin sheets, plastic sheets, food and non food items, purified water, makeshift toilets, medical and hygiene items and material needed for children and women were the immediate need in the centres where displaced families are being sheltered, according to the rehabilitation officials.

Around three hundred families have been displaced due to flood in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled areas of Jaffna. Of them fifty families have been sheltered in Pillayar Welfare Centre in Uduvil AGA division, 150 in Kamban Welfare Centre in Chankanai AGA division, and fifty families in Kittu Welfare Centre in Tellipalai AGA division. About thirty families in Pommaiveli have been affected, sources said.