Disaster Crisis: 159 Deaths and 203 Missing Confirmed; Dry Ration Allowance Increased

4 days ago|Local

The severe rainfall across the island has tragically affected a significant portion of the population. Assistant Secretary of the National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC), Jayatissa Munasinghe, announced today (30th) at a media briefing that as of 6:00 PM yesterday, 234,503 families have been impacted.

This total accounts for 833,985 individuals affected by the disaster.

Casualties and Displacement

Fatalities: The officially confirmed death toll stands at 159, with 203 persons still reported missing.
Safe Havens: 919 safe centers have been established across Sri Lanka to serve the affected population.
Displaced: 122,822 individuals from 34,198 families are currently sheltered in these safe centers.

Revised Relief Payments

Assistant Secretary Munasinghe announced that relief payment structures for subsidies have been revised:

Dry Rations (Per Individual): The amount has been increased from Rs. 1,800 to Rs. 2,100 per week.
Dry Rations (Per Family): The allowance for a family of five has been increased from Rs. 3,600 to Rs. 10,500 per week.

These revised limits grant Divisional Secretaries and District Secretaries the authority to provide dry rations accordingly. However, the existing limitations regarding the provision of cooked meals remain unchanged.

Emergency Contact

The public can obtain information regarding disaster relief services by calling the NDRSC direct hotline at 0112665258 or the Disaster Management Unit hotline 117.