1,232,000 acre crops destroyed in Batticaloa flood

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 January 2011, 05:22 GMT]
In Batticaloa district alone 1,32,000 acres of paddy and subsidiary crops have been completely destroyed due to the torrential rain now being experienced in the eastern province, according to the latest figures issued by the Regional Disaster Management Centre . Meanwhile Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) member R.Thurairatnam, in a memorandum sent to the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has requested that farmers in the district who have incurred heavy loss including their capital due to the flood should be paid full compensation by the government.

All the DS areas in the district are under water and the normal life has been disrupted. Cultivation of paddy, subsidiary crops, fishing, and business activities has been badly affected in villages- Vaakarai Vaazhaichcheanai Kiraan, Vanthaa'rumoolai, Ea'raavoor, Karadiyanaa'ru, Aayiththimalai, Ma'ndapaththadi, Kalladi, Aaraiyampathi, Ka'luvanagnchik-kudi, Pazhukaamam, Vellaave'li, Kokkaddichchoalai, Ma'ndoor and Thaanthaa-malai.

Several irrigation tanks are about to breach as they have reached their full capacity.

Mr.Thurairatnam has requested the authorities to provide machinery to repair damaged farm lands at reduced price and to repair immediately the destroyed sluice gates and breached the bunds of irrigation tanks, feeding channels and agricultural roads enabling the farming community to resume their agricultural activities.

Chronology: