Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

Cyclone Burevi devastates North-East

Fishermen in Mannar examine their wrecked boats.

Tens of thosuands of people across the North-East have been impacted by Cyclone Burevi as it slammed into the island this week, leaving homes destroyed, scores displaced and at least one person missing.

Wind speeds reached up to 90 kilometres per hour with rainfall exceeding 200mm in the affected areas as the cyclone hit and moved towards Tamil Nadu.

The scene in Jaffna this morning.

More than 75,000 people were evacuated in the Eastern Province, mainly around Trincomalee, as the cyclone arrived on Wednesday. The displaced are being housed in 237 relief centres that have been set up until the cyclone passes.

In Jaffna, one person was reported missing and at least 4 people injured in Valvettithurai town. Thousands more were displaced in Mullaitivu, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya.

See Sri Lankan government figures from the districts here.

Two women wade through water in Mullaitivu.

Schools across the North-East were declared shut until at least Friday, as heavy rainfall continues across the Tamil homeland.

In Kilinochchi, at least 15 houses were reported to have been completely destroyed, with some 170 partially damaged by the cyclone. Meanwhile in Mannar, more than 200 boats were damaged, deeply impacting on the livelihood of fishermen in the area.

See more photos from across the North-East below.

 

Mannar

 

Mullaitivu

 

Jaffna

We need your support

Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.

Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view

We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.

For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.