Sri Lanka's flood hit families receive aid

Elderly Sri Lankan flood victims help each other to remove stagnant water outside their house in Chilaw, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of ColomboAP

Barnabas Fund and Gospel for Asia are reaching out to support people affected by deadly flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka.

Over 40 people were killed and more than 31,000 forced to find refuge in relief camps.

The flooding caused an outbreak of rat fever and although people were advised to stay hydrated, Gospel for Asia said many had lost their clean water sources.

Its Compassion Services teams are responding to the need by cleaning out wells. Other teams have established temporary shelters and are distributing dry rations like rice, lentils and soap.

Large parts of the north remain under water. In areas where the floodwaters have receded,
people have returned to find their homes destroyed or badly damaged, and agricultural resources washed away.

"The majority of the work is restoration," said GFA President KP Yohannan. "There is much hard work ahead."

Barnabas Fund is working through local church partners to provide food ration packs for 4,500 Christian families.

The packs provide a family of four with enough food for two weeks and contain rice, sugar, milk powder, lentils and pulses.

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said: "Once again, our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka are reeling from the effects of a natural disaster.

"As a vulnerable minority in a state that officially gives Buddhism 'the foremost place', Christians are in particular need of support at this desperate time. Please help them if you can."