4,002 persons remain at 82 welfare camps:
Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that 560,621 people were affected by floods and landslides experienced in five districts of the country a few weeks ago.
The disaster resulted in the death of 215 persons while 4 are yet unaccounted for . Besides, 151 persons were wounded. Statistics reveal that 3029 houses were completely destroyed with 61,560 partly damaged.
The minister said that 4,002 persons are still at 82 welfare camps. The government has released Rs 339.9 million as compensation.Yapa added that the total damage caused by the disaster has not yet been calculated but is estimated to be a massive amount given the extensive destruction caused by the disaster.
“Apart from the personal belongings , infrastructure including roads, public building, bridges etc. have been damaged.
The final figures may run into billions,” the Minister emphasized.
Asked about the measures taken by the Government to rebuild the lives of the landslide affected people in Samasara Kanda, Aranayaka, minister Yapa said that all the affected families have been allocated land plots and also financial assistance to construct houses. The families have been compensated.
It has been planned to proceed with the relief work for the Aranayake landslide victims by August after completing the construction of all the houses.