President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday visited the flood and landslide affected areas in the Matale District in the Central Province of Sri Lanka and assured to provide alternate lands in safe locations to the people who had lost their homes due to landslides. He inquired into the well-being of the affected families who have been sheltered in 14 welfare camps and said that arrangements have been made to compensate the affected families.
President Rajapaksa also handed over financial assistance and distributed dry rations to to the affected at an event in the Rattota electorate. Each of the 94 families with a partially damaged house received 50,000 rupees while 25 families whose houses damaged received 100,000 rupees each.
Speaking during the event, the President said that everybody has a role to play in disaster mitigation and that protecting nature minimises the affects of natural disasters.
According to the Disaster Management Centre 172 houses and 68 houses have been totally destroyed due to landslides in Matale and kandy districts respectively.
The President instructed the authorities to carry out necessary tests in the areas prone to earth slips before granting permission to construct buildings in those areas.
The President also opened the weather-damaged Andavala Bridge that was rebuilt at a cost of 2.5 million rupees with the personal funds of Parliamentarian Lakshman Wasantha Perera.
He inspected the progress of the repair work on the Rathgammana Bridge across the Amban River connecting the Matale and Laggala electorates. The heavy rains have washed away the banks of the bridge and the Army with the help of the residents is carrying out the reconstructions.
Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, deputy ministers Nandimithra Ekanayake and Rohana Dissanayake, MPS, Lakshman Perera and Lohan Ratwatte, Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Highways R. W. R. Pemasiri participate in the events.