Heavy flood claims the lives of two, displaces 80,000 in South Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 October 2008, 08:40 GMT]
At least two people have been killed and 20 houses completely destroyed in different parts of Sri Lanka’s south and central areas due to floods caused by heavy rain, according to the officials at the Disaster Management Centre in Colombo.

Torrential rain has caused flooding and land slides in eight districts in southern, south-eastern, western and central provinces, displacing more than 80,000 people belonging to 23,431 families.

The heavy rain falling in a number of districts including Colombo Gamphaha, Kaltura, Kegalle, Kurunagela and Ratnapura during the past few days has also partially damaged 129 homes.

The civilians displaced due to heavy rain and mud slides are being housed in 20 shelters and provided with cooked food. Meanwhile Rs 63 lakhs has been ear marked to meet the immediate needs of the affected people, officials from the Ministry of Disaster Management Services said.

Several roads in these districts have become impassable due to landslides and rising water levels.

The Sri Lanka Meteorology Department warned Saturday of heavy rain to continue for the next several days in many parts of the country.

"Depression in the lower atmosphere over Sri Lanka is the cause for the heavy rain being experienced in several parts of the country," the Meteorology Department said.