Sri Lanka steps up relief as monsoon toll exceeds 150
landslides, not the flood waters, as their homes on hillsides were buried under torrents of mud and rock. Nearly 2,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. Almost half a million people had been forced from their homes and were sheltering in government buildings or with friends and relatives.
The floods and landslides in the south and west of the island were the worst for 14 years.
Water levels in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka’s gem district east of Colombo, had subsided but many villages in Kalutara south of the capital were still under water, officials said.
Residents in the south of the island also face the threat of crocodile attacks after a river known for its dangerous wildlife burst its banks overnight.
The charity Save the Children said about a tenth of those displaced were aged below 5.
It raised fears of stagnant floodwater becoming breeding grounds for dengue-spreading mosquitos and noted that young children were more vulnerable.
Medical teams were sent to the worst-hit areas to help prevent an outbreak of diseases.
The government withdrew an evacuation order for residents in the southern district of Matara as water levels subsided.
The military has deployed helicopters, boats and amphibious vehicles to distribute aid pouring in from residents in areas unaffected by the floods.
The government appealed for bottled water, new clothes and dry rations for those displaced.
Sri Lanka has also sought international assistance, with India rushing a second naval ship laden with supplies.
The navy vessel Shardul called at Colombo yesterday with a large consignment of medicines, inflatable boats and medical teams to join the relief operations. The UN said it would donate water containers, water purification tablets and tarpaulin sheets while the WHO will support medical teams in affected areas. Pakistan said it was in talks with Colombo to send relief supplies. Islamabad recently gave 10,000 tonnes of rice to Sri Lanka to help drought victims.
The Meteorological Department said the rains ended a prolonged drought that had threatened agriculture.
The flooding is the worst since May 2003 when 250 people were killed after a similarly powerful monsoon, officials said.