Malteser International distributes food and drinking water

Continuous heavy rain since the end of December – which became torrential rains from 9 January – have caused landslides and severe flooding in Sri Lanka. The island state’s Disaster Management Centre reports that one million people are affected, and especially those living in the central highlands and in the eastern provinces. At the moment it is very difficult to reach these areas overland.

Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s international relief service, has already started to prepare and distribute hot meals in the villages and emergency shelters located in the Batticaloa district. The teams are also handing out bottled drinking water and are preparing to distribute items such as clothing, water filters, cooking pots and cutlery. The German Foreign Office is supporting Malteser International’s efforts.

Walter Berier, Malteser International Programme Coordinator, reports from Batticaloa: “Houses are under two metres of water in the town. The floods have also directly affected Malteser International’s staff. There is barely any drinking water left and it’s impossible to buy bottled water. The people have a great need of water filters since the situation is gradually worsening.”