Floods ruin 60,000 acre paddy crops in Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 December 2010, 12:43 GMT]
Sixty thousand acres of crops have been affected in the Batticaloa district due to flood following incessant rain since last week, according to District Deputy Commissioner of Agrarian Services (DDCAS) Dr.R.Rushanthan. More than one hundred fifty thousand acres were planted with paddy crop Maha season, and the crops damaged were nearing releasing grains.

28 minor irrigation tanks have breached in the district.

Farmers appealed to the Sri Lanka government authorities that Colombo should implement a relief scheme for the affected as they were not paid any compensation in past though they insured their crops under agricultural insurance scheme.

Meanwhile, 276,000 persons of 72,703 families had been affected in Batticaloa district, and 2365 persons from 631 families have been sheltered in eleven welfare centres in four DS divisions.

6521 persons from 1722 families have been staying with their relatives.

All the fourteen DS divisions have been affected by the flood due to continuous rain, according to Batticaloa District Government Agent Sundaram Arumainayagam.

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