UN supports flood-stricken

The United Nations (UN) continues to support the Government to meet the urgent needs for shelter, food and drinking water among one million people affected by the second wave of floods this year. The UN will revise its Flash Appeal of US$ 51 million in emergency funding at the end of this month in accordance with needs of both flood events.

More than 300,000 persons in 15 districts of the country are displaced across 744 temporary evacuation centres, with thousands of houses destroyed in full or part, and over a million affected in the North-Central, Central, Wayamba, Eastern and Northern Provinces, according to the latest report released by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). Additionally, many people are hosted by families and friends. Eleven persons have died and eight injured as a result of the floods.

The United Nations Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) Neil Buhne said that the impact on people of this second wave of floods is even greater than the first in large part as peoples' capacity to cope was already diminished, underscoring the vital need for international support to the national response.

The UN system is supporting the Disaster Management Centre led assessment of the floods and landslide situation in affected districts to determine the extent and location of damages as well as immediate relief needs for non-food items, food and drinking water. Amidst hindrance to access caused by flooded roads, UN agencies continue responding with a wide range of supplies.

The World Food Program (WFP) has distributed six-days of food amounting to 340 metric tons in support of around 192,000 persons in Batticaloa, Ampara, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts.

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) dispatched around 4,600 tarpaulins to Ampara and Trincomalee districts, while the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) supplied 9,000 plastic sheets and tarpaulins for flood-affected communities in Batticaloa and Ampara districts. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) provided 400 tents in the affected districts.

UNICEF will provide purified water and IOM has supplied 2,500 packs of non-food items, such as sleeping mats, buckets, soap and cooking pots as immediate relief.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is supporting with surge capacity to the Health Ministry to ensure medical response in Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa and Kalmunai, and is currently assessing urgent health needs in other flood-affected areas. OCHA and UNDP have supported local authorities to coordinate needs on the ground, provide mapping, needs assessment compilation and analysis. The UN and its agencies have also temporarily assigned at least 20 staff to support the Government Agents and central level emergency response activities.

The UN and its partners are committed to support humanitarian and development needs of all Sri Lankans.