Floods and landslides which accompanied the heavy deluge, specially during the last two days, were showing signs of receding but had left nine people dead and over 50,000 affected in eight districts, authorities said yesterday. Weather experts predict more heavy showers accompanied by lightning and strong winds during the next 45 days (specially after two weeks) with the monsoon reaching its climax. While attributing the heavy rains which wreaked havoc to a 'mini storm' in the Bay of Bengal, weathermen said yesterday that the disturbed condition was slowly exiting the country from the North. However the depression in the Bay of Bengal would continue for the next four to five days, Meteorology Department sources said, adding that the rain in some areas during the last couple of days had exceeded the 400 mm mark. This has however been good news for the hydropower reservoirs, most of which are filled to capacity, helping to switch off the thermal power plants. According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights all measures were in place to assist the affected and 37 temporary camps had been set up to provide shelter to 1,521 displaced families. Colombo (16,000), Gampaha (20,000), Ratnapura (6,000) and Kalutara (300) had been identified as the worst affected districts, sources said. A total of 58,835 people have been severely affected with over 200 houses being damaged, Ministry sources said. Compensation would be provided for deaths, injuries and also for damage to cultivations and property. An initial sum of Rs.three million has already been released to District Secretaries in the affected areas. All displaced people would be provided a pack of dry rations (enough for one week) in addition to other urgent facilities. Meanwhile Authorities have decided to launch a major awareness campaign in seven districts identified as landslide prone, with Kandy, Kegalle and Ratnapura prominent among them.They have decided to clear all canals in urban areas which have been identified as the major cause for flooding specially in and around Colombo (five major canals). In addition people living in areas where there is a severe land slide threat are to be moved out and located in other safer areas and in other places where the threat is minor, awareness and other preventive measures are to follow. Weathermen warned the public to be aware of the threat posed by lightning which had claimed the lives of 15 people during the last 45 days. They said that when the threat was severe public should stay indoors as much as possible. According to authorities the lack of a national policy on floods and other such disasters is a major impediment in finding viable solutions. But such a policy was in the formative stage with research on the subject being implemented using four major riverbeds.