World Concern Responds to Latest Flooding in Sri Lanka as Heavy Rain Continues
Tue, 8 Feb 2011 18:52 GMT
Flood victims in Sri Lanka receive food from World Concern.
World Concern is distributing food and emergency supplies to approximately 9,000 people in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka as the latest round of flooding there has displaced 320,000 people, according to Sri Lankan Disaster Management officials.
Heavy rain has continued for the past week, setting off landslides and cutting off all access roads to Trincomalee, according to World Concern staff. Flooding in January affected more than one million people in Sri Lanka and World Concern was responding to the needs of those victims when this latest heavy rain hit.
The flooding is the third major disaster Sri Lankans have endured since the 2004 tsunami. Violence at the end of the country’s 26-year-long civil war destroyed homes and livelihoods and displaced an estimated 180,000 people.
“These families just can’t get a break,” said World Concern President David Eller. “But we’re not giving up on them. We’re trying to save as many lives as possible.”
Dry food rations are being distributed by boat to more than 5,000 people south of Trincomalee. But water levels of up to five feet in the north prevented access to 3,700 people awaiting aid. World Concern staff was attempting to arrange an airlift, but were delayed due to bad weather.
World Concern has served in Sri Lanka since 2004, and has helped more than 30,000 displaced people resettle in homes, restart businesses and reunite with family members.
For more information, please contact Derek Sciba at (206) 713-5564, or visit www.worldconcern.org/srilanka.
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