SRI LANKA / FLOODS UPDATE

UNICEF supplies arrive in the flood-affected eastern part of Sri Lanka. An estimated one million people have been affected by the massive flooding. Government reports state 27 people killed, 47 injured and more than 367,000 displaced. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:15
• Production Date: 18 January 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: HUMANITARIAN RELIEF; REFUGEES; DISPLACED PERSONS; DISASTER PREVENTION; DISASTER PREPAREDNESS; DISASTER RELIEF
• Geographic Subject: SRI LANKA
• MAMS Id: U110118c

Description

STORY: SRI LANKA / FLOODS UPDATE
TRT: 1:15
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / TAMIL / NATS

DATELINE: 15 - 17 JANUARY, 2011, BATTICOLOA, SRI LANKA

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, a road under water with people trying to cross it
2. Med shot, relief workers rowing a boat
3. Wide shot, family in distress
4. Med shot, woman sitting behind the pot with boiling water
5. Close up, pot with boiling water
6. SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Kamala Devi, flood victim:
“We have lost all our household belongings like mats, bed sheets and cooking utensils. It’s been raining continuously and it’s very cold. My house and fields are completely destroyed. What will my family and I do in the future?”
7. Wide shot, UNICEF staff in a boat
8. Med shot, UNICEF staff getting off the boat
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Kirupairajah Gowriswaran, UNICEF Health and Nutrition Officer:
“The prevalence of malnutrition is very high in Sri Lanka especially in Batticoloa, even before the floods. Malnutrition amongst children under 5 years is worrying. After the floods, I think it may increase.”
10. Wide shot, flood victims filling water in buckets from UNICEF tanks
11. Med shot, flood victims in classroom receiving UNICEF supplies
12. Close up, man with UNICEF relief kit in his hand
13. Pan left to right, school where flood victims have taken refuge
14. Med shot, families crammed into classroom
15. Close up, old woman eating
16. Close up, child sleeping
17. Med shot, two girls eating
18. Wide shot, women washing utensils in the rain water
19. Med shot, relief workers walking in the water towards the boat
20. Wide shot, village as seen from a moving boat

Storyline

It’s a week since the flooding became severe in eastern Sri Lanka, and many routes remain barely passable.

These families have returned after six days in shelter on higher ground. Many have suffered a great deal after years of conflict and the 2004 tsunami. Now these floods. They are finding out for the first time what has happened to their homes.

The children help to draw water from a contaminated well, and boil it for drinking. Dry firewood is hard to come by.

SOUNDBITE (Tamil) Kamla Devi, Flood victim:
“We have lost all our household belongings like mats, bed sheets and cooking utensils. It’s been raining continuously and it’s very cold. My house and fields are completely destroyed. What will my family and I do in the future?”

Sri Lankan doctors are reaching more remote communities by the only means possible. They bring with them a large trunk of medicines. More than a thousand have sought refuge here...a UNICEF-funded school, built after the tsunami. Running their mobile clinic, the doctors report finding a rising number of cases of respiratory illnesses and diarrhoea.

UNICEF is keeping a close watch on nutritional levels of children.

SOUNDBITE (English) UNICEF Health and Nutrition Officer, Kirupairajah Gowriswaran:
“The prevalence of malnutrition is very high in Sri Lanka especially in Batticoloa, even before the floods. Malnutrition amongst children under 5 years is worrying. After the floods, I think it may increase. “

UNICEF Sri Lanka has already responded to the needs of some homeless families.

Tanks hold a thousand litres each of safe drinking water.

Sleeping mats alleviate the discomfort of those living in schools, emergency hygiene packs are handed out. Toilets have been built on raised podiums and utensils distributed for communities to cook their meals.

But the rain keeps falling. Four thousand were living in this school when the floods peaked.

Eleven families are living in this classroom. They say they cannot return home as their homes remain flooded and they’ve lost all belongings.

At least they are receiving one cooked meal a day.

Schools were supposed to reopen; the teachers arrived for work, but there were no pupils.

The water levels may have receded after more than two weeks of heavy rain, but the challenge for these aid workers may only have only begun to support a massive clean-up and repair operation.