As of 20th May 2016, 22 districts across the country have been affected by floods, landslides and heavy rain. The total number of people affected is 427 918 jwith 319 507 people displaced into 602 safe locations. The total number of confirmed deaths is 64 with 131 people missing due to a landslide in Aranayake (Ministry of Disaster Management - MoDM).
The Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine(MoH) has deployed 10 medical teams to Kolonnawan and Kaduwela MOH divisions and the Colombo Municipal Council area with medical supplies. The Ministry of Defense medical core is also conducting medical camps in the affected areas.
The worst affected district is Colombo with the overflowing of the Kelani river, affecting 185 830 people in the district alone. The water levels in the river continue to remain high due to the continous spilling of major tranks upstream. The Department of Irrigation has announced that it would take several days for floods to recede in the low-lying areas by the Kelani River.
WHO Response
WHO is working closely with the Sri Lankan Government and other partners to provide relief to the communities affected by the flooding and landslides. The WHO Representative Dr. Jacob Kumaresan met with the Director General of Health Services on 20 May to provide updates on WHO action underway to support the Government of Sri Lanka. Dr. Kumaresan visited some of the worst affected areas in Colombo, where safe locations have been established including the Weheragodlla temple in Orugodawatta. Dr Kumaresan also visited the Wellampitiya Post where health centres have been established for people coming from flood affected areas and the tri-forces are operating a search and rescure base.
Deployment kits have been given to the response teams and additional CDMA phones were provided to the MOH. WHO visited the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) of the MOH to discuss field response activities and identify health gaps that WHO may be able to support