Koslanda aftermath

Koslanda aftermath Five relief camps continue to operate
By  Sandun Jayawardana Sunday, 16 November 2014 03:14

A total of 1655 persons from 492 families affected by landslides and landslide threat in the Koslanda area were still being housed at five relief camps yesterday (November 15).According to figures provided by the army, 417 persons belonging to 124 families were being sheltered at the Koslanda Sri Ganesha Tamil School. The rest of are housed at four relief camps set up in the Poonagala area. Accordingly, 660 persons from 200 families are housed at Poonagala Tamil Maha Vidyalaya, while 294 persons from 80 families are housed at the Poonagala Junior School.

A further 97 persons from 33 families are housed at Poonagala Sinhala School while 187 persons from 55 families were being housed at Poonagala’s Sri Subramanium Kovil last evening.

Lieutenant Colonel Epsitha Dissanayake, who is in charge of the four relief camps in the Poonagala area, told The Nation that renovations were now ‘almost complete’ at the disused tea factory being renovated by the army in Poonagala to temporarily house those who had lost their houses in the October 29 Meeiyabedda landslide.

As such, once government officials inspect the site and approval is granted, the families are due to be moved to the location early this week.

However, there was still some confusion regarding how many families would be moved to the factory since some families that were not registered with local authorities were known to have been staying at the houses at the time of the landslide. Some government officials had earlier indicated as many as three families had been living in some of the houses, with only one of them was registered.

However, all others who are currently staying at the relief camps after being removed from areas deemed ‘high risk’ are expected to move back to their homes once officials of the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) inspect the locations and declare that there is no longer a landslide threat to these locations.

- See more at: http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/35318-koslanda-aftermath-five-relief-camps-continue-to-operate.html#sthash.kGov8KJW.dpuf