Canadian aid for Sri Lanka flood relief efforts

The Canadian High Commission in Colombo announced that it has made an immediate contribution to supplement the flood relief efforts by the Sri Lankan government, UN and other agencies.

The High Commission said in a statement that the Social and Economic Development Centre (Caritas Sri Lanka) will receive $20,000 toward a project that it will manage over the next three months.

"We have all been touched by the accounts of terrible hardship as a result of the floods," Canada's High Commissioner, Bruce Levy said.

With the contribution made from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the High Commission intends to encourage others to contribute, the High Commissioner said.

The Caritas project aims to bring relief to almost six thousand families and will focus on the provision of emergency relief supplies and shelter materials.

"We wanted to help get assistance to people quickly," said Levy adding that Caritas has a record of being able to deliver efficiently.

"We will also give careful consideration to any further appeals that may come from the Government of Sri Lanka and other agencies," the High Commissioner said.