200,000 hit hard by tropical cyclone Nilam

Nadia Fazlulhaq and Aanya Wipulasena report

From Jaffna to Hambantota, the country is reeling from blows inflicted by torrential rains and gale-force winds. 

View(s): 791-Sunday, November 04, 2012

While hurricane Sandy was wreaking havoc on the East Coast of the US, tropical cyclone Nilam was hitting Sri Lanka hard with torrential rains and gale-force winds, claiming lives and destroying property. Eight people were killed and more than 200,000 persons affected islandwide.

Deaths by drowning, lightning, electrocution, falling trees and earthslips were reported from Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Kegalle, Kalutara and Matara, said Disaster Management Centre (DMC) spokesman Sarath Lal Kumara.

Outbreaks of water-borne diseases are common after heavy rains and floods, and there’s a lurking danger of snake bite. Photo: Amila Gamage

Some 15,000 displaced persons are being accommodated in 99 evacuation centres spread over Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Nuwara Eliya, Gampaha, Colombo and Kalutara.

Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the media on Thursday that the Ministry was “doing everything possible” to provide relief for those affected by the extreme weather conditions. He said Rs. 200 million has been set aside for emergency relief, and displaced persons are being provided with food, dry rations, drinking water and other essential items.

The tropical cyclone, which originated near the country’s northern coast, spread to the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and the Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Mannar districts.

The Meteorology Department has told fishing communities and the Sri Lanka Navy to expect strong winds and rough seas off the coast of Mannar, Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa.

In Mullaitivu district, heavy rains and strong winds have affected 23,638 people in four Divisional Secretariats – Maritimepattu, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Oddusuddan, Manthai East and Tunukkai.
In Kilinochchi district, 4,446 persons in the Pachchilaipalli, Kandavalai, Poonakary and Karachchi DS divisions have been affected, and 654 houses have been damaged.

In Jaffna district, 17, 968 persons have been affected by floods in 14 divisional secretariat areas, including Kayts, Point Pedro and Uduvil. More than 1,700 people are being accommodated in temporary shelters. In Vavuniya, 610 houses have been damaged.

FLOODS

Gampaha was the worst affected by floods. More than 49,900 persons have been displaced. Areas especially hard hit are Biyagama, Mirigama, Kelaniya, Mahara and Wattala. The Kelani Ganga overflowed its banks causing floods; more than 6,800 Gampaha residents are being housed in evacuation centres.

Floods were also experienced in Colombo district, affecting 21,813 persons in Kaduwela, Ratmalana, Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte, Thimbirigasyaya, Homagama, Kesbewa, Kolonnawa and Seethawaka. Roads were impassable and many houses in Colombo city were damaged by falling trees and branches.

In Kalutara district, where one person drowned and another was killed by lightning, up to 5,000 persons have been affected by rain.

LANDSLIDES

In Nuwara Eliya, scene of landslides and falling rocks and trees, more than 800 people – residents of Ambagamuwa, Walapane, Haguranketa, Kotmale and Nuwara Eliya – were affected by bad weather.

Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake declared Friday, November 2, a holiday for all schools in Nuwara Eliya.

Other districts affected by adverse weather conditions are Mannar, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Kegalle, Galle, Matara, Hambantota and Moneragala.

Scenes of flooding and devastation pour in from across the country. More than 15,000 peope have moved to temporary shelters. Photos: Indika Handuwala and Mangala Weerasekera

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