Visiting Matale district, which was one of those affected by recent floods and landslides, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse promised to provide 'alternative lands' to those living in areas at risk of landslides or other natural disasters.
The President also pledged financial assistance to the 94 families affected with each receiving 50,000 rupees as well as food rations, garments etc. Those whose houses had been damaged would recieve 100,000 rupees each.
Matale is in the Sinhala heartland. But on Friday, the government's own Disaster Management Centre reported that the areas most devastated by the recent heavy rains and flooding were the Tamil areas of Batticaloa and Puttalam.
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