CYCLONE HITS ANURADHAPURA DISTRICT CAUSING HAVOC

People in the Anuradhapura District had been experiencing many difficulties due to a cyclone that had swept across the district on Friday (18).

The gale force winds, which started at around six in the evening amidst a heavy downpour had damaged many homes while and several buildings in the vicinity.

The worst affected areas were the Anuradhapura Municipality area, Matale junction, Kurundankulama, Ichchankulama, Nelumkulama, Kawarakkulalma,Vijayapura, Saliyapura and Mihintale.

Amongst the buildings that were damaged was the North Central Provincial Council Building. A part of the temporary roof in the hall of the building that had been fixed after it was damaged by heavy winds during the week had blown off again during the cyclone that blew past on Friday (18).

Transport on the Anuradhapura- Dambulla main road had come to a standstill for three hours until a huge Mara tree that had fallen across the road at Keeriyangashandiya as a result of the strong winds was moved by the residents of the area.

People in the affected areas, who had rushed to protective areas during the storm, said that they had been greatly inconvenienced due to the damage done to their homes. The electricity supply to these areas and telephone services that had been halted due to the cyclone had not been restored even as late as yesterday (20).

According to the Anuradhapura Disaster Management Centre about 75 houses in Anuradhapura District had been damaged due to the inclement weather experienced on Thurs- day (17) and Friday (18). Meanwhile NCP Chief Minister, S.M. Ranjith Samarakone, who had toured the area to take stock of the situation, had given instructions to the authorities to provide the roofing sheets needed by the affected families to repair their roofs.