The appeal by the United Nations (UN) for $51 million (Rs 5.6 billion) in flood aid has had a poor response from the donor countries with Sri Lanka receiving just 27 percent of the total package, a top official said yesterday.

The government has postponed an impending fuel price hike till the conclusion of the local government elections on March 17 by not increasing diesel prices as done by Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) on February 4, a senior Ceylon Petroleum Corporation official said.