13 killed in floods; 2,25,440 displaced

Disaster Relief Center says that 13 people have been killed and 225,440 persons belonging to 53,000 families have been displaced due to floods and landslides.

As the floods are receding in Rathnapura district, the risk in Kaluthara is on the increase.

Gampaha, Kegalle, Galle, Mathara districs and Kaduwela and Kolonnawa divisions in Colombo district have been affected by the floods.

The numbers of families & persons displaced district wise are as follows:

Rathnapura - 6781:Families - 28868:Persons

Kaluthara - 16,176:Families - 62719:Persons

Galle - 2752:Families - 12386:Persons

Mathara - 1954:Families - 9028:Persons

Colombo - 8714:Families - 40105:Persons

Gampaha - 16334:Families - 75179:Persons

NuwaraEliya - 41:Families - 185:Persons

Kegalle - 100


This is the worst flood in Kaluthara district in recent history. A landslide has occurred in Palindanuwara division and further details are to come.

Electricity and telecommunication has broken down in many affected areas making the relief teams difficult to approach the victims. Navy and police divers have arrived for the relief of the flood victims.

Disaster Relief Center has allocated Rs. 22 million for basic relief needs such as cooked food and dry rations.

However, our reporters say that the majority of the affected have not received any relief yet.

6 civilians killed in SLA claymore attack - LTTE

Six devotees including two children on their way to Naakathampiraan Temple in Maangku'lam were killed and 4 wounded, including 2 children, in a claymore mine explosion in Vanni Monday night. LTTE's Director of Peace Secretariat S. Puleedevan blamed the Deep Penetration Unit operated by the Sri Lanka Army for the attack on civilian target.

The attack took place at Puthoor, located between Kanakaraayanku'lam and Pu'liyangku'lam at 8:00 p.m., Mr. Puleedevan said.

The devotees were on their way from Mu'l'livaaykkaal in Mullaiththeevu to Naakathampiraan temple to attend the annual festival at the temple, Mr. Puleedevan told TamilNet, identifying the registration number of the civilian van as 8-SRI-6109.

The dead were identified as Vasanthakumar from Mu'l'livaaykkaal, Murugathaas from Ampalavan Pokka'nai, Thanusan (son of Murugathaas), Ganesh (Brother of Murugathaas), Ms Yogamalar, and Ganga (daughter of Yogamalar), officials of the NorthEast Secretariat on Human Rights (NESoHR).

Chithra 26, wife of Vasanthakumar, Sujithan (son of Vasanthakumar, 18 months old child), 9-year-old Janani (daughter of Murugathaas), and Vinojini were seriously injured and have been admitted to Mullaiththeevu hospital.