Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – After a brief respite in recent weeks, the floods which began in December and culminated from 9 to 11 January - affecting more than one million people in north and north-west Sri Lanka - have hit again. The rains have submerged streets and villages. Many areas are inaccessible and enormous damage has been done to local agriculture and infrastruture. More than 320,000 have been displaced and over 1.2 million affected in the country’s eastern, northern and central regions, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported on 7 February. Nearly 88,000 families are now in shelters - schools and other public facilities. Now there is fear of an epidemic, even if until now authorities have said there has been no major outbreak. Before the latest wave of flooding - the second in less than a month to hit the area - the Epidemiology Unit had distributed a circular to all regional health officials instructing them on preventive measures. In a communication from “Irin”, the UN agency for coordinating humanitarian affairs, Sinnathmabi Sharamuham, regional health director for the Batticaloa district, Eastern Province, said so far there had been no reports of disease outbreaks among the flood displaced or affected population. “We are operating mobile health units that constantly monitor the situation in the sites where the displaced remain, or in the flooded villages.” Meanwhile, special teams are looking into the nutrition status of children under five, sanitation and cooking facilities, and the quality of safe drinking water. The DMC says the rain has eased over the past 48 hours. “We are getting supplies by road to most of the flood-hit locations,” DMC deputy director Pradeep Kodippilli said. “But the worry is the Meteorological Department has warned us that the rains could last for another few days.” (AP) (8/2/2011 Agenzia Fides)
