Red Cross delivers aid to Manike Farm IDP camp after a mini cyclone
by Mahieash Johnney – IFRC Communications Manager in Sri Lanka | Picture Credit – SLRCS Vavuniya Branch
05/04/2012 – Menik Farm, Northern Sri Lanka: The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) has taken immediate steps to provide much needed aid to the victims of the mini cyclone that swept across the Menik Farm Internally Displaced Camp in Vavuniya.
With permission from security forces personnel manning the Menik Farm camp SLRCS lorries were taken inside the camps to provide relief to 375 families still living within the camp.
Non-food relief items such as Laundry soap, sleeping mats, frocks, sarongs, rubber slippers, towels, exercise books and pens were distributed to the families.
A mini cyclone that swept through northern part of Sri Lanka on 31st of March 2012 displaced over 300 families in the Manik Farm camp.
According to Settikulam police, cyclone, which began slowly with rain at about six a clock on Saturday evening, lasted for an hour.
As soon as the incident occurred the SLRCS Volunteers sprung to action by providing essential items such as cook food and also providing first aid to the injured. “We have volunteers within the communities, so it was easy for us to deliver the assistance they needed at this time” said the Branch Executive Officer of the SLRCS Vavuniya Branch Ronald SriKanth.
Meanwhile steps were also taken to provide milk powder, biscuits and sugar for children and pregnant mothers who are within the vicinity of the camp.
SLRCS has also taken steps to coordinate with government authorities in order to find the needs of the people within the camp.
The Deputy Director General and the Head of Operations / Services Col. Sudath Madugalla said, “We are in the process of finding out the scope of the damage and to see how we can assist these people. We have attended to the immediate needs of the people and will continue to monitor how things unfold and respond accordingly.
500 hygiene kits were also distributed that was provided by UNICEF.
Below are some pictures taken after the mini cyclone hit Menik Farm.
