COLOMBO, Dec. 23 — Around 374,000 Sri Lankan workers are located in areas affected by floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah, a preliminary employment assessment released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) said on Tuesday.
The ILO said potential earnings losses in the affected districts could reach about 48 million U.S. dollars per month.
Informal and low-wage workers are particularly vulnerable, as many lack access to adequate social protection and shock-absorbing safety nets, it said.
The organization also noted that agriculture and related activities, including plantations and fisheries, have been severely hit.
Up to 23 percent of rice-cultivating land has been affected by the floods, and the country’s world-famous tea industry was estimated to suffer output losses as high as 35 percent.
In the short term, the ILO called for measures to sustain livelihoods, such as providing emergency cash assistance and rolling out relief-related work opportunities such as debris removal and infrastructure reconstruction, with wages sufficient to meet workers’ household needs.
The organization also urged support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through grants and subsidies to help repair equipment, restart operations, and retain workers. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
