150,000 Homeless In Ceylon Floods

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28471, 28 December 1957, Page 9

150,000 Homeless In Ceylon Floods

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) COLOMBO, December 27. More heavy rains are expected today in flood-devastated Ceylon. Rain has been falling incessantly since Christmas Eve, and the floods have caused at least 50 deaths and left nearly 150,000 persons homeless.

Landslides have buried many people alive and thousands of acres of ricefields have been inundated.

In the North-Central Province a 90-square miles artificial reservoir has burst its banks, causing heavy loss of life.

Roads, railways and telegraph systems have been cut by the floods.

The Prime Minister, Mr Bandaranaike, has urgently appealed to India for helicopters, aircraft and medicines.

British United Press reported that Mr Bandaranaike was going to appeal to the whole world for help, and that the Ceylon Government had decided to cut the island’s rice exports by half because of a food shortage caused by the floods. The island had only six days’ supply of rice left.

Mr Bandaranaike said: “I am going to appeal to the whole world for Assistance—the floods are the worst Ceylon has ever had and have brought misery to thousands of people.” A heavy loss of life is feared in the North-Central Province where the Parakrama Sumudra a 90-square-mile artificial reservoir—has burst its banks.

The floods, also affecting the Northern and Eastern Provinces, have already left nearly 150,000 people homeless and disrupted roads, rail, and telegraph communications. Thousands of acres of rice fields in the Eastern Province have been devastated by the floods and it is officially estimated that at least 100,000 homes have been destroyed. The biggest Christmas Day tragedy was at Bandaraela, where 14 people are now known to have died when a landslide ingulfed labourers’ homes.

Thirty people were buried today at Kurunegale, in the NorthWestern Province, in another landslide. All were rescued, though many are in a serious condition.

According to the Meteorological Department, the rains which have fallen incessantly since Christmas Eve will continue for at least another 24 hours. Sir John Kotelawala, former Premier of Ceylon, arrived in London for a month’s visit tonight—but said he was ready to return to Ceylon in 24 hours if needed.