Nov 28, Colombo: Sri Lanka Minister of Disaster Relief Services Amir Ali Sahabdeen said the government has taken speedy measures to provide necessary relief to the people in the Jaffna penisnula affected by the recent torrential rains brought about by a tropical cyclone.

Due to the torrential rains that lashed the northern part of the country over the past few days have brought misery to over 230,000 people in the Northern districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Trincomalee, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. Jaffna peninsula is the worst hit by the storm.

According to the Disaster Management Centre, over 136,298 persons from 36,730 families in these districts have been displaced. They are currently sheltered in temples, schools and other public buildings.

Figures released by the government said so far 110,493 people belonging to 30,591 families have been displaced while 1,941 homes have been completely destroyed and another 5,104 were damaged.

Another 23,104 persons from 5,136 families in Mannar, 2,701 persons from 968 families in the Trincomalee district, 30 families in the Monaragala district and five families in the Kandy district have been affected by the rains, the DMC said.

The government has allocated Rs 3 million each for Jaffna and Mannar while another Rs 2 million each has been allocated for relief services in Trincomalee and Kilinochchi.