IOM Delivers Emergency Aid to Flood Victims

IOM is delivering tents, tarpaulins, and other relief items to thousands of people affected by ongoing flooding, rain, and landslides in 13 of the country’s 25 districts.

“We have now transported 1,348 family tents to southern districts, Colombo and Gampaha in the west, and tarpaulins to Trincomalee on the east coast. But there is no sign of the weather letting up yet and more aid may be needed,” says Selina Salkeld, Head of IOM Sri Lanka’s Emergency Response Unit.   

According to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC), over half a million people or 100,000 families have been affected by some of the worst rains on record. At least 15,000 people have been displaced, some 1,350 houses have been damaged or destroyed, and 20 people have died.  

Districts across the country including Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Galle, Nuwara Eliya, Trincomalee, Puttalam, Mannar and Anuradhapura have been affected.  

IOM is providing the DMC with transport to move relief supplies to flood-affected communities. It is also coordinating with the DMC and humanitarian partners who are evacuating families from areas cut off by the floods and assessing future needs.  

In addition to emergency flood relief, IOM Sri Lanka is continuing to work in close cooperation with the government and partners to help conflict-affected communities in the north and east of the country.  

To date, it has moved over 188,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) from the Menik Farm displacement camp in Vavuniya to their home districts.  

It has also provided primary health care services to more than 200,000 IDPs and has helped over 9,600 returnees to start new livelihoods. In return areas it is also providing vulnerable conflict-affected communities with transitional shelter, water and sanitation.