Why?
This Emergency Appeal seeks enables the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) in delivering assistance and support to 40,000 people affected by floods and landslides. A tropical depression in the Bay of Bengal brought heavy rains across the country, triggering floods and landslides that have affected thousands of lives and livelihoods, and caused widespread property damage. On may 21 an initial DREF was allocated to support SLRCS in addressing the immediate needs of up to 20,000 displaced people. This appeal scales up the delivery of humanitarian assistance to 40,000 people. Reports indicated 22 out of Sri Lanka’s 25 districts are reported to be affected. Assistence is directed to the worst-affected districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Puttalam.
What?
The operation focuses on the following sectors: essential household items, shelter (emergency and recovery), livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, restoring family links, disaster risk reduction and institutional disaster response capacity enhancement. The plan seeks to support the SLRCS provide immediate and early recovery support to the most vulnerable affected families, in a timely, effective, and efficient manner and ensure that they are supported to recover with increased disaster resilience.
Who?
SLRCS will prioritize the most vulnerable households among affected populations. Priority will be given to the people displaced by floods and landslides who are living in temporary shelters/evacuation centres and affected people returning to their houses. Specific considerations will include the elderly, people with a disability, pregnant and lactating women, women-headed households, and households with infants or young children.