Eleven dead, 17 missing in Matara district flooding

Eleven persons died while seventeen persons were reported missing in the Matara district according to details released by the District Secretariat Matara at 4pm yesterday.

This number could increase as the number of casualties or displaced in the Weligama, Athureliya, Pitabeddara and Akuressa Divisional Secretariat areas are not known.

Many roads in the district were submerged and electricity supplies disrupted.The Akuressa Kamburupitiya road was under ten feet of water and some houses were completely submerged.

Of the eleven deaths reported four were from Kotapola, five from Mulatiyana, and one each from Thihagoda and Welipitiya Divisional Secretariat areas. Sixteen persons are reported missing in Kotapola while one person has been reported in Mulatiyana.

Heavy rains inundated Matara, Hakmana, Pitabeddara, Pasgoda, Dikwella, Mulatiyana, Malimboada, Devinuwara, Athureliya, Kotapola, Welipitya, Kirinda Puhulwella, Thihagoda, Weligama and Athureliya areas since Thursday.

20,757 members belonging to 5886 family units have been displaced in the fourteen Divisional Secretaries divisions and the displaced and are being housed at 13 welfare centers five of which are in Mulatiyana, two in Kotapola and one each in Thihagoda, Hakmana, Devinuwara, Pasgoda and Dikwella.

Of the statistics known the worst affected is Kotapola where 6500 person belonging to 2013 family units have been displaced with four deaths and 16 missing persons have been reported.

Matara District Secretary Pradeep Rathnayake said the Disaster Management Ministry has released Fifty Million Rupees to provide dry rations and relief to the displaced persons.The District Secretary personally saw that the sand bank which had formed at the Nilwala estuary was cut.

Rescue and Relief operations were underway.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post