Sunday, May 23, 2010

Sri Lanka Under Water

Gospel For Asia is reporting Sri Lanka is under water with the worst flooding since the Asian tsunami devasted Sir Lanka in 2004... My heart goes out to the innocent people of Sir Lanka who have been caught in the middle of an on going civil war that resulted in the massacre of thousands of people, including our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you can help in this latest disaster, --->>>

Contact: Taun Cortado, Gospel for Asia, 972-300-3120

CARROLLTON, Texas, May 22 /Christian Newswire/ -- At least 200 people are confirmed dead and hundreds of thousands are homeless as a result of flooding on the island nation of Sri Lanka.

"This is the worst flooding to hit the country since the Asian tsunami devastated Sri Lanka in 2004," said Gospel for Asia President Dr. K.P. Yohannan. "They had absolutely no warning that this huge storm was on the way. It took them totally by surprise."

Yohannan had just spoken with Lal Vanderwal, GFA’s country leader in Sri Lanka, who reports that entire villages are underwater.

"Their homes are flooded and they've lost everything," Dr. Yohannan said. "The children don't have any clean clothes to wear and their schoolbooks have been destroyed."

The flooding was caused by torrential rains that inundated the teardrop-shaped island for more than a week. Sri Lanka, a country of 18.6 million people, is located off the southeast coast of India. Its location in the Bay of Bengal makes it subject to the seasonal monsoon weather pattern. The monsoon rains, which last for months, usually arrive in the last few days of May. Meteorologists say these disastrous pre-monsoon rainstorms were intensified by Cyclone Laila, which recently blasted the Bay of Bengal and is devastating some of India's coastal areas. While Cyclone Laila spared Sri Lanka, it is blamed for 16 deaths in India.

Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center reports that more than 600,000 people were displaced by the flooding. Many of those affected are the poorest of the poor who live in low-lying areas and shanty-type structures, which have no chance against the brutal force of the driving rain or the fast-moving floodwater. One major city is facing a grim situation with more than 40,000 homes damaged by the floods, and subsequent landslides. More from Christian News Wire

Share/Bookmark

No comments:

Post a Comment

Print Friendly and PDF