Floods claim two lives in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 31 December 2010, 02:26 GMT]
Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said two children died in two separate incidents that took place on Monday evening and Tuesday early morning in Batticaloa. 11-year-old Velautham Yogeswary at Eerazhakku'lam at Ea'raavoor Pattu-Chengkaladi DS division in Batticaloa district fell into a latrine pit and drowned in an attempt to rescue her one and a half year old brother from flood water on Monday. In the second incident at Chaaynthamaruthu in Ampaa'rai district on Tuesday a twelve year-old body died to the collapse of wall of a house. Five persons including his father and mother were injured and had been admitted in the hospital, according to DMC sources.

DMC further said that all land transport to Paduvaankarai and Eerazhakku'lam had been cut off.

Land movement via A 15 highway between Batticaloa and Trincomalee district has been suspended due to the over flow of Verukal River.

The sluice gates of Vaakaneari, U'rukaamam and Unnichchai tanks have been opened as the water level reached spill level. Hence the border villages of the district are under water, according to District Agrarians Services Department officials. The prices of vegetable are on the increase due to the suspension of transport from Paduvaankarai.

The livelihood of daily paid workers has also been badly affected.

Batticaloa District Government Agent Sundaram Arumainayagam said a sum of 570 thousand rupees have been allocated for the relief of flood affected families.