Govt, UN assess flood damage
United Nations agencies have begun a joint assessment mission with
the Government of Sri Lanka after record rains caused flash floods in
parts of the capital, Colombo, and other areas.
The floods, which have affected several districts, have been caused
by what is reportedly the heaviest rainfall in Colombo in 18 years, the
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.
Nearly 186,900 people, the majority of them in Colombo, have been
affected as of 11 November, according to the National Disaster
Management Centre (DMC).
The DMC is carrying out a rapid assessment together with the UN World
Food Programme (WFP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and OCHA.
The flooding has left tens of thousands of families homeless,
disrupted traffic and submerged the country"s Parliament in four feet of
water. (UN)
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