Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2011-01-20

Relief to Disaster Victims due to Floods caused by Climate Change

- According to available statistics nearly 280,000 families consisting of 1,061,000 have been affected due to the recent floods in the Northern, Eastern and North Central Provinces as well as the Central and Uva Provinces in the Island. Immediate relief measures were taken by the Government on the direction of H.E. the President to provide cooked food, dry rations and other urgently required items and shelter for the victims. On a proposal made by the Minister of Disaster Management, Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Cabinet approval was granted to provide relief assistance to all flood victims in January 2011, relaxing existing Circular instructions, where essential, and irrespective of their income level and of their stay in welfare centres or with relatives and friends and for the appointment of an Officials' Committee consisting of representatives of the relevant ten (10) Ministries to examine the matter of providing further relief to the victims and the reconstruction activities to be carried out in these areas and submit recommendations to the Cabinet.