A powerful cyclone hit Sri Lanka on December 25/26 cutting a wide
swath of destruction from Tirukkovil to Trincomalee on the northeastern
coast. According to media reports at least eight people were killed
and an estimated 75,000 families have been made homeless, thousands
of other people have been affected. The cyclone caused severe damage
in the districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee, while other districts
such as Mullaitivu, Anuradhapura and Amparai have been partially affected.
Some reports said that nearly half a million people fled their homes
in fear of the storm and took shelter in schools, churches, temples
and shopping centers. Cyclone 04B, which whipped the land with winds
at about 90 mph, is the worst cyclone that has hit the island since
1978, when approximately 1,000 people were killed.
According to the report received from ACT Member National Christian
Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), Trincomalee is the worst affected
district with around 100,000 severely affected families. Furthermore,
the cyclone has rendered at least 50,000 families homeless in Batticaloa
and Amparai districts. Most affected are the poor, whose dwellings
had been of a semi-permanent nature. They lived in dwellings such
as cadjan huts or huts with tin sheets, most of which were damaged
or carried away by gushing winds or by floods. Tidal surges swept
100 metres inland on the coast causing severe damage to many villages.
NCCSL points out that immediate relief is hampered in the interior
areas, especially villages in remote areas far removed from the principal
towns are hard to reach because of the lack of transport facilities.
Relief teams have started distributing food and assistance to families
housed in temporary shelters.
Immediately after the cyclone the NCCSL member churches have started
relief measures, such as distributing food and temporary shelter.
The project officers of the Council have already visited affected
areas to assess the damage caused by the cyclone.
An appeal for supporting the victims of the cyclone is being prepared
at the moment and will be issued soon.
