COVID-19 risk minimal among recent flood victims - DMC Director

• Most of them have been vaccinated
• They come into temporary shelters only to have their meals

By Yohan Perera

COVID-19 risk among those who were displaced by the recent floods is minimal as most of them have been vaccinated, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Director General Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe said yesterday.  

Major General Ranasinghe told Daily Mirror that many who were affected by floods had received their vaccine doses and therefore the risk is minimal. “The usual form is that they come into temporary shelters to have their meals. They hardly reside in these centres as they go back to their houses in the evening after partaking in their meals,” he said.  

As per the data put out by the DMC only 17 houses have been damaged by the adverse weather conditions while 978 were partly damaged. The process of assessing damages caused to the houses have begun according to DMC and assurances were given that compensation will be paid as soon as possible.  

The Department of Irrigation  reported that water levels in Kelani, Kalu, Gin and Attanagalu Oya were reducing. 
However the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) continued with the landslide warnings in Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy and Kegalle Districts.  

Meanwhile the Department of Meteorology forecasted temporary enhancement of showery conditions over the South Western part of the island during the next two days. Showers are expected at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North Western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts. “Fairly heavy falls above 75 mm can be expected in some places,” the Department said. Several spells of showers are expected in Mannar. 

***Only 17 houses have been damaged by the adverse weather conditions while 978 were partly damaged
*** Water levels in Kelani, Kalu, Gin and Attanagalu Oya were reducing