18.RECENT FLOODS IN SRI LANKA
       There are several natural disasters. Earth slips, earthquakes, cyclones and droughts are some of them. Luckily we are not affected by disasters like earthquakes Luckily we are not affected by disasters like earthquakes. But floods occur in our country.
We have heard that there was a great flood in Sri Lanka in 1957. Thereafter, a destructive flood occurred in the year 2003. It is regarded as the worst ever flood occurred in our country. This was a flood with earth slips.
As result of this flood a large number of villagers in several districts lost their lives. Thousands of others became homeless. The flood affected districts were Rathnapura, Kaluthra, Galle, Matara & Hambanthota.
The flood victims suffered untold hardships. They lost all their belongings. They had tp starve for a number of days. They had to seek shelter in school and temple buildings.
Immediate steps were taken by the government to provide felief to the flood victims. A large number of voluntary organizations offered to help them. The victims were provided with dry rations, clothes and medicine.
What are the causes of these floods? Putting up buildings on hill sloops, digging of gem pits and cutting down if trees are regarded an main causes of floods.
When a flood occurs, the destriction caused to houses, properties and also means of livelihood is immense. Therefore, the government should draw up a plan to tind out the ways and means to stop its destructive disaster.