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Friday, 10 December 2010

UN agencies helping over 100,000 flood-affected in Sri Lanka

The United Nations said Friday that its agencies are helping the Sri Lankan government to provide relief to over 100,000 people affected by flash floods and landslides due to the incessant rains lashing the country for the pat month.

According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and local authorities, as of 10 December, a total of 164,183 persons (42,618 families) have been affected by the floods.

According to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), of the total affected, a 69% or 113,866 people from 30,149 families are in the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar, and Vavuniya districts in the North.

OCHA says these are the same people who are still in camps or have just returned to their places of origin.

Lowlands of Zone 1 in Menik Farm camp in Vavuniya have been temporarily flooded, but the situation is under control and IDPs have not been badly affected, an OCHA report released yesterday noted.

The UN says the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is providing hygiene kits and water purification tablets as rising floodwaters threaten an outbreak of dengue fever. The agency has taken measures to spray mosquito breeding sites.

Between 10 November and 10 December 2010, the Ministry of Disaster Management has released a total of Rs. 56.9 million to local authorities for food assistance, across the country. This is an increase of Rs. 14.8 million from 8 December, OCHA reported.

Local authorities have also provided cooked meals to all the affected families in the temporary welfare camps/community centers in the North.

OCHA says some roads in the North remain flooded, cutting off assistance to population in the five northern districts. Government Agents in all five districts have pointed out high demand for tarpaulins, clothes, mosquito nets, hygiene kits, bed sheets, blankets and supplementary food as priority needs.

The OCHA says according to the GAs overall humanitarian community response to the affected areas of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu has been so far timely and sufficient, but limited response provided to Mannar and Vavuniya. The Sri Lankan Army also has assisted the relief efforts in the North, OCHA reported.

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