China Machinery Engineering : Chinese Enterprises and Overseas Chinese Donate Relief Supplies to Sri Lanka Flood-stricken Areas

On the morning of May 30, the Sri Lanka Gampaha, Attanagalla and Minuwangoda Integrated Water Supply Project team, a subsidiary of China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), had donated relief materials to more than 350 households in Yabaraluwa, a flooded village near capital Colombo. Yang Wei, the site project manager of Attanagalla water plant, said that the donations included food, and daily necessities and medicine and hoped these materials could help local victims weatherthrough the disaster.

'CMEC had provided timely helpand contributed much-needed materials to the resettlement of the villagers. It isthe firsttime villagers received donations from a foreign country following the disaster. A friend in need is a friend indeed. China is a true friend of Sri Lanka.'Sunil Ranjith, the head of Yabaraluwa village told the reporter.

On May 29, after learning that water pumps were urgently neededin the rescue work, the Colombo Port City Project company affiliated to China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) purchased 15 pumps which were sentto the designated collecting pointforrelief materials. The project company is working with the government of Sri Lanka to prepare the second batch of relief supplies, donate life and study necessities to disaster-stricken schools, and enable affected students to resume their studies by helping them overcome difficulties.

The flood had wrecked the Section-1 equipment and constructed sections of the Extension of Southern Expressway undertaken by AVIC International Holding Corporation, causing losses to project progress and property. Still, the project staff actively savingtheir lives helped rescue local employees and flood victims, with the victims feeling the love and brotherhood from China.

On May 29, Sri Lanka Overseas Chinese Association and some Chinese media in Sri Lanka jointly organized local overseas Chinese to make donations to disaster-hit areas, with donations transferred to the affected people bythe Ministry of Disaster Management of Sri Lanka.

Since May 26,thestormhad hit 14 areas in the west and south of Sri Lanka including Colombo, Hambantota, Matara, Goyle, RatnapuraandKalutra. On May 30, the Disaster Management Center said that, due to floods and landslides caused by rainstorms, 193 people died, 94 were missing, 112 were injured, hundreds of thousands of families were affected, and Sri Lanka has suffered the most devastating disaster since 2003.

After the disaster, the government quickly sought assistance from the international community. Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that, in orderto fight floods and provide relief, the Chinese government would provide emergency humanitarian aid worth RMB15 million, which included tents, blankets,and other relief supplies to be shipped to Sri Lanka as soon as possible. The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka also handed over 15 million rupees (about 100,000 U.S. dollars) to the Sri Lanka Red Cross which was donated by the Chinese Red Cross.

Located in South Asia and the tropics, Sri Lanka has a maritime climate. Heavy rainfalls caused by the southwest monsoon can lead to floods and landslides in May and June almost every year. Last year, floods and landslides in the west and middle of Sri Lanka killed more than 100 people.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2017-05/31/c_1121062208.htm