Sri Lanka, especially the eastern seaboard, is in the midst of a massive flood disaster, said to be on the scale of the tsunami in terms of people affected (1 in 20 citizens according to government data) and perhaps the worst since 1957. Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka’s largest community-based organization and a long-term partner, was one of the first to respond based on its strong organizational reach in the worst-affected East.
LIRNEasia staff contributions, matched 50% by the organization, amounting to LKR 174,750 will be used for the medical assistance that is being provided to the flood-affected. This is a drop in the bucket, but we are confident it will be used well to help those in distress.
A note to friends and colleagues: The floods are far away from Colombo where LIRNEasia staff live. Chanuka Wattegama went to the East as a volunteer for Sarvodaya and almost got stranded, but even he is back home now.
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Rohan Samarajiva
Chanuka Wattegama is quoted in Time on the scale of the disaster in Batticaloa: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2042199,00.html#ixzz1AyEmhAIn