Sri Lankan government hopeful of sending all flood-displaced back to their homes today

The Sri Lankan government is hopeful of shutting down all emergency relief camps that were set up to house flood victims during the recent torrential rains experienced in many parts of the island.

Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said it would be possible to close all camps by today (31), as there are only 365 persons from 85 families remaining in the camps in Gampaha district.
According to the DMC spokesperson Pradeep Kodippily only five camps left as of today in the Gampaha District. All flood-displaced in Matara, Kalutara and Colombo districts have already returned to their homes.
Water level has receded in most of the affected areas except some places in Colombo and Gampaha districts. Well cleaning programmes are in progress, the DMC said.
There were initially 52 camps set up to house 15,364 flood-displaced persons. The worst floods in decades affected over 600,000 people, mostly in the Western Province.
However, the DMC has said it is yet to assess the total losses from the floods, since the respective District Secretaries were in the process of preparing them.
The government of Sri Lanka had spent Rs 40 million while several NGOs and relief organizations had also assisted the victims both directly and through the Disaster Management Ministry.
The government took swift measures to provide relief to the flood victims with meals and dry rations while UNICEF, CARE International, World Vision, and Americare provided drinking water, water purification tablets and sanitary needs to the flood affected.
The Disaster Management Centre in coordination with the Sri Lanka Police, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Army had assited emergency operations such as evacuations, search and rescue and delivery of assistance in affected areas where access has been cut off.