Floods displace thousands in east Sri Lanka

by Rob Peters | March 18, 2008 at 08:30 am

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More than 7,000 have already been forced to move, and the forecast calls for more rain. A northeastern monsoon typically hits Sri Lanka from December to Februrary.

COLOMBO, March 18 (Reuters) - Floods triggered by torrential rain have forced more than 7,000 people from their homes in eastern Sri Lanka, with some taking shelter in schools and mosques, officials said on Tuesday.

Flooding and ensuing mass displacement are common in Sri Lanka, often fuelled by monsoon rains.

The latest flood victims included families living in basic camps, who had already been displaced by renewed war between the state and Tamil Tiger rebels.

"A total of 7,200 people have been displaced in Batticaloa due to the heavy rains," said Keerthi Ekanayake, national coordinator at the National Disaster Management Centre.

"Of those there are about 600-700 people who were in IDP (internally displaced) camps who were already displaced by battles," he added.

He said most of the displaced were living with friends and relatives.