A child huddled against her pregnant mother, among 10 other homeless children with their families in Nuwara Eliya town, struggling to shield themselves from freezing temperatures which dropped below eight degrees Celsius, was among the scenes witnessed on Thursday night.
Chilling winds added to the wretched cold, as these destitute families with nowhere to go, were exposed to the cold elements.
Some families put up temporary enclosures on the sidewalks, with whatever material available, but to no avail.
Government Agent D.G.P. Kumarasiri and Mayor Chandana Lal Karunaratna were on the streets to look into the needs of the homeless and were able to present them some blankets.
Shops selling warm clothing were kept open late into the day. Foreigners were among customers trying to buy warm clothing. Shopkeepers said that sales were high during this period.
While the rest of the country battled floodwaters, for the people of Nuwara Eliya it was a battle for survival against the all encompassing and unrelenting freezing weather.
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| Open late into the night: Wayside shops selling warm clothes |
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