Monsoon lashes Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The monsoon rains have begun lashing the Vanni region again after a lull of more than a week. The Kanakarayan river which runs along some of the forward areas of Operation Jayasikurui such as Karappukkuththi, Katkidangu etc., has been swollen with floods since yesterday, sources in the Vanni said.

The Vavuniya Trincomalee road is inundated in several areas southeast of the Jayasikurui's positions.

Floods from these parts drain into the Kanakarayan Aaru to raise its water levels. The road passing under the spill of the Iranamadu tank which was opened for traffic two days ago after the rains subsided last week and the water level in the tank came down.

The road to Mullaithivu east became passable when the tank's spill was closed. But the road will be closed again soon if the monsoon showers which started again a few days ago do not cease, said irrigation engineers in the area.

Meanwhile the Liberation Tigers announced yesterday in the Vanni that heavy vehicles should not take roads on reservoire dikes as thieves are removing sand bags piled up recently to reinforce the brimming reservoirs of the Vanni.

The thieves pour the sand out and are going off with the sacks, weakening and endangering the bunds, said sources in the Vanni.