By Charles Haviland BBC News, Colombo

Eleven lives have been lost and a million and a quarter people have been affected by the floods

Some 320,000 people have been forced to take refuge in makeshift camps in schools, temples and mosques.

Eleven lives have been lost and three more people are missing. A million and a quarter people have been affected.

In what is nominally known as Sri Lanka’s dry zone, people are once more getting around by boat.

Most people in this part of the country live in basic, single-storey houses built of simple materials.

Food shortage

Vast numbers of these are now inundated and the consequences are serious.

I have no any classes for the last 2, 3, nearly 4 weeks. After 20 days that money, my saving money, is also finished S Kirubanandan, a teacher in Batticaloa

The government says each flood-affected person is entitled to regular dry food rations. But they are not reaching everyone.

S Kirubanandan, a teacher near Batticaloa in the east, went to the shop which was supposed to give out food for him and his family.

But it wasn’t there, and he has no cash to buy food either after weeks of heavy rain.

"I have no any classes for the last 2, 3, nearly 4 weeks. After 20 days that money, my saving money, is also finished," he says.

If the food isn’t there soon, he will have to seek loans or pawn his wife’s jewellery.

Like many others, his family were asked to leave their makeshift camps in schools on Sunday but say their homes are not fit to live in. Some have gone back to the camps.

The government says it’s setting up a special health protection programme for the benefit of those affected by the floods.

But access is still a big problem and the navy and air force have been enlisted in the relief operations.