Getting ready to leave it all behind
With bitter lessons from last year, people take precautions, heed warnings to evacuate
Hundreds of vehicles lined up towards Colombo on Friday as people in Wellampitiya, Angoda, Kelanimulla, and Ambatale started leaving their homes as the Kelani river kept on rising with water spilling into the villages.
The Sunday Times team witnessed motorists and people in three-wheelers taking with them clothing, valuables and even pets as they left their homes.
Some of the families close to the Kelani river at Wellampitiya were waiting by the road until their householder who had gone to work returned so they could all move away.
Some of those leaving were being displaced for the second time within the space of a year, as they were victims of last year’s flooding as well.
The police attempted to manage the heavy traffic which was building up towards Colombo. Even though the police informed people in affected areas to leave within four hours, some people refused to leave.
K.A.D Nimal, a resident of Kelanimulla, who less than a year ago faced floods, was yet again preparing for the worst. He said that in the previous instance, the water level had reached the roof of his house, and all the furniture and electrical equipment were destroyed. He said that the government only provided a compensation of Rs.10,000 for two of his houses.
“We were not told to leave by the authorities, it was only the area police that told us to vacate our houses. I was ready before that as I have experienced floods. However, this time the water was reaching the houses faster,” he said.
Mr. Nimal said that he had to use metal sheets to cover his shabbily built wooden house. “I rented iron scaffolding to prepare a makeshift rack to hold my electrical equipment and shelter the furniture,” he said, explaining the precautions he had taken.
He said that he had already planned to take refuge at the Kithsirimewan Kelani Rajamaha Viharaya after releasing his pigeons on the roof.
At the temple, the Viharadikari Ven. Unana Upananda Thera had converted the dana shalava into a refugee centre where flood victims were being received. The Ven. Thera requested the public and the government to provide food and bottled water for the inconvenienced people.
Gamini Hemal, a resident near the Gangathilaka Viharaya at Kohilawatte said that after he was affected by last year's floods, he had built a second floor to his house as a safe place for his furniture.
“The Kelani river is reaching spill-point and will flood the road, then I will move my furniture upstairs. It will take about three hours for the by-road to flood” he said.
Further up, towards Wellampitiya, women, children and elderly people were at the gates waiting for their family members at work to return home with their vehicles so they could leave the place.
Monika Rajanayake was one of these people waiting anxiously at the gate in fear that the water would suddenly reach her house without warning. “There are six occupants of this house. Most of them are at work. There are warning messages announced on the TV, and the police also instructed me to leave,” she said.
The Sunday Times also witnessed officials of the Disaster Management Centre and the Kolonnawa Divisional Secretariat urging people to leave their houses and move to safe areas.
Ms. H.A. Silawathi, a resident of Ganga Asabada Road, Kotikawatte said that the police instructed her to move to a safe area such as the Rajasinghe Vidyalaya or Kotikawatte Wimalaramaya.
People in Mulleriyawa also experienced flood waters in fields close to the river. Most residents of low-lying areas were leaving the area, while others further up the road were preparing to leave during the night.
S.A. Nishanthi Silva said that there are over 40 houses in their lane and that most of the residents had already started to evacuate. She said residents were told to move to higher ground at Galwana Purana Rajamaha Viharaya by police and the area Disaster Management official Nimal Amaraperumarachchi.
On Saturday, there were more people leaving their homes as the water levels kept rising. Based on last year’s experiences, many people did not want to take a chance and stay, even though the weather had improved compared to Friday. Some were already in temporary shelters such as tents and schools.
Security was strengthened in the area with police patrolling to prevent looters from breaking into houses that were vacated.