Sri Lankans still reeling from shock, heavy rains hamper country's recovery
Heavy rains have complicated rescue efforts in Sri Lanka after a powerful cyclone killed hundreds and left tens of thousands homeless, officials said.
More than 130 millimeters, or 5.1 inches, of rain fell in southern Sri Lanka in 15 hours yesterday, local authorities said. Flooding has continued since Cyclone Ditva, the worst flooding in a decade, made landfall on the island on Sunday, hampering cleanup and reconstruction efforts.
The country's disaster management center and local officials say the cyclone has killed at least 607 people, damaged more than 50,000 homes and forced 170,000 people into relief camps. An estimated 214 people are still missing.
Sri Lanka's worst disaster
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it was the most challenging natural disaster the island has ever faced. Addressing the nation, he said that we recognize that we are undertaking the most difficult rescue operation in the country's history.
The disaster, meanwhile, is part of a series of massive floods and landslides that hit Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia last week. More than 1,500 people have died in the disaster. Like Sri Lanka, many villages in Indonesia are still trapped in mud and debris.
In Sri Lanka, authorities have told residents evacuated from central hills prone to landslides not to return to their homes immediately, even if they have not been affected by the floods, as the hillsides remain unstable.
Residents in flood-hit areas have accused the government of inadequate preparation for the flood and its aftermath. Prabath Chandrakirti, the official in charge of relief efforts, said 25,000 rupees ($81) were being paid to clean a house and that reconstruction could cost between $6 billion and $7 billion. Another 2.5 million rupees ($8,100) were being paid to start rebuilding damaged homes.
While three-quarters of the country's power supply has been restored, Chandrakirti's office said some parts of the worst-hit central province were still without electricity and telephones. The state-owned Daily News reported that up to 75 millimeters (3 inches) of rain was expected today in some southern and southwestern areas, including the urban west coast around the commercial capital Colombo.