Deluge and disaster
President chairs emergency meeting soon after arriving from Australia People living along riverbanks asked to leave to safer ground as rivers swell in spite of rains easing on Saturday
Despite an easing of torrential rains yesterday, rescue teams were still struggling to reach thousands of people trapped by floodwaters and landslides in several districts, the worst the country has witnessed since May, 2003.
Fourteen districts were affected with Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Ratnapura being the worst hit. Some places in these districts remained inaccessible to rescuers even last morning.
Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena told journalists yesterday that Ayagama and Rakwana in
The Sri Lanka Air Force has launched an inquiry after a fight sergeant engaged in operations to rescue flood and landslide victims in the Neluva area fell to his death on Friday.
Y.M.S. Yaparatne (37), an SLAF fire fighter, had hoisted a person
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed his condolences for the loss of lives and property in the country. “India condoles the loss of lives and property in Sri Lanka due to flooding and landslides. We stand with our Sri Lankan brothers and sisters in their hour of need.
“Our ships are being dispatched with relief material. The first ship Ratnapura were difficult to reach while about 2000 people cut off by floods in Mapalagama, Nagoda, Gammeddegoda and Unanvitiya in Galle. Many were on the roofs of their houses and were pleading for rescue, he said.
The Minister said one reason for so many people being trapped is that those living along riverbanks had not been vigilant regarding rising floodwaters further upriver. He urged people living along riverbanks to move to safer areas about two-three kilometres away as water levels could rise rapidly as rains fall upriver.
President Maithripala Sirisena, who chaired an emergency meeting of people’s representatives and senior Government officials in Kalutara yesterday, soon after his return from Australia, had directed officials not to be burdened by Government circulars and to take who was trapped in the floods on to a Bell 212 helicopter and was on the way down to rescue another when he had fallen to his death.
Air Force Spokesman Wing Commander Gihan Seneviratne said it was too early to say what will reach Colombo tomorrow morning. The second will reach on Sunday. Further assistance on its way," the Indian Premier said.
Meanwhile Pakistan's Acting High Commissioner, Dr. Sarfraz Ahmad Khan Sipra said, “Pakistan people are standing shoulder to shoulder with the Sri Lankan people in these times of grief and suffering,” caused the flight sergeant to fall and hence an inquiry is underway to ascertain what caused the accident.
The SLAF has engaged six helicopters and one Beechcraft in the rescue operations and airlifted more than 25 persons.
He added that as a true and trusted longstanding friend, Pakistan has always been providing unconditional assistance to Sri Lankan brethren in their hour of need. The High Commission of Pakistan said that it is in constant touch with Sri Lankan Authorities and they will soon provide necessary relief goods to the government and people of Sri Lanka. whatever measures necessary to assist those who have been affected. He had also directed the immediate purchase of 10,000 life jackets to be airdropped to those who are still trapped due to flooding. Health Minister and Co-Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said the life jackets would at least provide the wearers with the ability to keep floating until rescuers can reach them. A set of these life jackets were also on board an Indian vessel that arrived in Colombo yesterday carrying flood and other relief items.
Rescue operations were being spearheaded by the tri forces. Fifteen battalions comprising about 1500 soldiers belonging to the Sri Lanka Army’s 58 and 14 Divisions as well as the Commando Regiment were engaged in operations in affected areas, Military Spokesman Brigadier Roshan Seneviratne told the Sunday Times. They were deployed in Ratnapura, Galle, Matara, Kalutara and certain areas of the Colombo district. In addition, the Sri Lanka Navy had deployed 68 vessels to the affected areas along with rescue teams comprising about 400 naval personnel. Naval teams had rescued 1854 people by last morning Captain Sujeewa Seneviratne, the Navy’s Deputy Director (Operations) said. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Spokesman Group Captain Gihan Seneviratne said they had deployed six helicopters including Bell 212, 412 and Mi-17s to assist in operations. An SLAF Beechcraft observation plane was also in the air to locate persons trapped. The SLAF’s rescue helicopters had saved 25 people by Saturday.
In some instances, rescue teams could only reach certain areas after the SLAF assisted to airlift boats.
An airman who was engaged in rescue operations on an SLAF helicopter died in unfortunate circumstances during a rescue mission in Neluwa on Friday. Flight Sergeant Y.M.S. Yaparathna (37), was involved in evacuating two people who had been buried in a landslide at Doowili Ella Kanda and had safely extracted one individual before he fell from the helicopter, Minister Abeywardena said. Flight Sergeant Yaparathna, a resident of Kotugoda, later succumbed to his injuries at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital (Please see box).
The death toll from the destructive floods and landslides had reached 103 by Saturday morning while 113 are reported missing, according to the Disaster Management Center (DMC). A total of 221, 738 person from 60, 472 families have been affected. According to the DMC, 273 houses are classified as being fully damaged. As of yesterday, over 12, 000 displaced persons were being housed in 104 camps.
Galle was the worst affected district, with 12, 874 persons from 32, 215 families being affected and 13 people reported missing.
Kalutara was also severely hit, with 40, 284 persons from 9210 families affected. Kalutara reported the highest number of missing, with 72, 38 deaths and 167 houses fully damaged - the most in any district.
Matara was next with 20, 757 persons from 5886 families being affected. There were 11 confirmed deaths while 17 people are listed as missing.
Ratnapura was the hardest hit in terms of confirmed deaths, with 46.
Most lost their lives in landslides, with Kalutara being the worst affected. Several large landslides occurred in the Bulathsinhala area. Many others who were believed to be trapped under the rubble remained missing even yesterday.