UAE residents are being asked to support storm-stricken Sri Lanka, which is inundated by its worst flooding in decades after being devastated by Cyclone Ditwah.
Alexi Gunasekera, Sri Lanka’s consul general in Dubai, issued the rallying call after more than 400 people were killed, with at least 330 missing across the island.
Mr Gunasekera said he hoped all nationalities in the Emirates would come forward to support Sri Lanka by sending essential supplies, and helping to rebuild infrastructure, agriculture and water supply – among the sectors devastated in catastrophic landslides and floods triggered by the cyclone.
“We first need immediate relief for the needy and we also need support to rebuild agricultural projects, irrigation work and roads that are completely damaged,” Mr Gunasekera told The National in an interview on Tuesday.
“The UAE has more than 200 nationalities living here and we ask all expats to come forward. If people working in the UAE can support Sri Lanka that can make a big difference.
"We have mobilised Sri Lankans living in the UAE to help but if companies, associations and expats from other countries support us that will be substantive," he added. "I would like all expats to hear my message. This is how you can come forward to show solidarity with Sri Lanka during this hardship.”
The Sri Lankan embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai have posted a list of items, including folding beds, first-aid kits, gloves, mosquito nets, mattresses, raincoats, tarpaulin sheets, rechargeable torches, safety helmets and mobile toilets that the government in Colombo said were required urgently. The aid required will be regularly updated on the consulate’s Facebook page.
The consulate in Dubai will be open for 24 hours a day until December 7, so people can drop off essential items. Officials have asked people to abide by the updated list and not to deliver food or supplies that are not specified. Financial aid can be sent directly to government accounts listed online, or after contacting officials at the embassy for details, Mr Gunasekera said.
'Don’t cancel travel plans'
In addition to the disaster in Sri Lanka, torrential rain has killed about 800 people across Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, with rescuers struggling to reach villages cut off after roads and bridges collapsed.
In Sri Lanka alone, 1.4 million people have been affected by the cyclone, Mr Gunasekera said. More than 1,400 temporary centres have been set up to provide supplies and refuge to survivors.
The consul general said: “I want the international community to think positively about Sri Lanka, so don’t cancel your vacation plans, please do come. This is when we need your support.
“We are a resilient nation, and we have faced crises in the past. Coastal areas are open, so tourists can still visit. If you cancel, so many more lives will be affected. Our people need to come out of this disaster. Families rely on tourism, and they need your support.”
President Sheikh Mohamed offered the UAE’s support in search and rescue operations and the country sent a batch of relief supplies on Monday. Mr Gunasekera said Sri Lanka was grateful for the Emirates' support and appreciated the speedy aid donation.
His message was for all communities to work alongside the 250,000 Sri Lankans who live in the UAE to help with the vast rehabilitation mission that will be critical once floodwaters clear.
“We will need investment in agriculture, infrastructure, pharmacy and automobile to boost the economy,” Mr Gunasekera said. “This is not about charity, it’s about the creation of employment. We will need not just short-term relief but long-term investment from businesses.”
In dire straits
The UAE's Sri Lankan community has collected relief packages and wired funds directly to organisations involved in emergency work.
The Sri Lankan Business Council in the UAE has sent 4.5 million rupees ($15,000) to a special needs group, a cancer centre and a women’s health organisation affected by the floods.
Suren Swaminathan, chairman of the council, said: “People think of sending clothes but forget that women need sanitary napkins, or cancer patients and people with special needs are in dire straits. There is no electricity supply, and communication will take time to get back on track.
“Neighbourhoods are devastated, buildings have collapsed, and villages are washed out. Nobody yet knows how bad the situation is because so many areas are cut off from the mainland. We will do another assessment soon so we can organise a fundraiser to focus on more projects that are in need. People need our long-term support.”
