Apr 28, Colombo: The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes said Sri Lanka faces two distinct crises after he visited the welfare camps in the North housing thousands of civilians who have fled the war between the government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Holmes toured the camps on Monday and had discussions with top government officials including President Mahinda Rajapaksa regarding the humanitarian situation in the North.

Holmes said there are still tens of thousands of people trapped in the no-fire zone which is now reduced to 10 square kilometers, with the LTTE refusing to let them leave while fighting is still continuing.

The other crises is the dire situation in the welfare centers that have been swollen with recent influx of over 100,000 IDPs escaped from the Tiger grip after Sri Lankan troops breached an LTTE-built earth bund that prevented the civilian movement.

The top UN official hoped the Sri Lankan government would give more humanitarian access to the war zone given the fact that the LTTE has refused to let the civilians move out.

"We believe that there are critical levels of hunger, and large numbers of people needing medical treatment,” he said.

Holmes welcoming the Sri Lankan government's decision to conclude all combat operations using heavy weapons said the government needs to fully implement the announced measure.

Considering the straining situation in the welfare centers UN offcial is allocating a further $10 million dollars from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to assist the relief efforts.