The Health Ministry are making preparations to create public awareness on taking counter measures to prevent the spread of diseases while making arrangements to handle the situation.
The death toll by floods and lightning increased to 15 and the number of displaced climbed to 392,000 by Wednesday morning. The number of houses fully damaged was placed at 137 and another 750 partially damaged.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday evening presided over a meeting with a group of selected ministers, Members of Parliament and officials to discuss the current flood situation and the counter measures to be taken.
Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne himself along with several other ministers including Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa who represents the Gamapaha district – one of the worst flood affected districts were seen personally visiting some of the affected areas.
The floods also has left several passengers heading to the Bandaranaike International Airport stranded prompting the Navy to offer boat service free of charge and the Air Force to offer a helicopter service (for a fee) to ensure that passengers could reach the airport in time.
Many of the houses in the low-line areas of the Gampaha district have been underwater prompting the people to take shelter in schools, temples and in temporary camps while government authorities and volunteers are seen providing them with food.
As the western province was hit by the worst ever flood in the last five years a key questions raised by the public - why was the floods so bad this time – was due to - unplanned construction, land filling of water retention areas or failure to keep the drains and canals clean, goes unanswered by officials.
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