ACT Alliance

The severe floods that started late last year have returned with a vengeance to Sri Lanka, bringing the number of people affected to 1.22 million and extensively damaging crops.

Heavy rain is predicted to continue throughout the eastern, north and north-central provinces on and off throughout March, scuppering efforts to recover from the first deluge.

ACT’s head of communications, Sonali Fernando, in Sri Lanka, says this round of rain hit just after people started to return home and has caused untold agricultural damage. Waterborne diseases are expected to start spreading shortly and hunger is predicted to begin in two months when the harvest would normally be collected.

The government reports that the country has insufficient rice supplies to feed the population. But farmers know otherwise – that most paddy has been destroyed, Fernando says.

ACT Alliance members in Sri Lanka also report extensive damage to cultivation and livestock, with smaller and vulnerable farmers and labourers hardest hit. They says there is great need for urgent relief supplies following this second – and worse – round of flooding.

ACT member Christian Aid is supporting community cooking centres and all ACT members are revisiting plans for early recovery in case more relief immediate is needed.

ACT has issued a US$218,000 appeal for ACT member the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka to provide cooked meals, dry rations packs, basic sanitation facilities, prevent outbreak of water borne diseases by providing chlorine and soap. Longer term, the appeal will support families recover agriculture land and livestock, provide school materials, household items and help rebuilding houses.

According to Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre, the floods are the worst in 100 years, with 15 districts and 1.22 million people affected. Some 17,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged and 67,500 families now live in 686 displacement camps.

This round of rains, nearly 58,000 families have been displaced and accommodated in 166 welfare centres. Many people have chosen to stay in their flooded homes rather than public accommodation.

Boat services run by military and policy are transporting people across worst hit districts. The main road connecting Batticaloa town with other districts has been submerged for at least the last three days. A new costal road has been built temporarily for van transport.

Rains have also hit the Menik Farm camp for internally displaced people near Vavuniya, where there are still about 20,000 internally displaced people who have had to be moved within the camp because of flooding.

Reliefweb reports that Sri Lanka will lose over million tons of its upcoming paddy harvest – a bumper crop until the devastating floods which left fields under water for up to 11 days. Even crops outside the worst-hit areas will be reduced, as they are expected to be hit by fungal disease.

It says floods are flowing over roads, agricultural lands and town centres. The accumulation of the rains that began in December is forcing people to stay with friends and families, and damages to homes and already saturated farm lands continue. However, the situation remains unknown in many inaccessible areas.