Sri Lankan president promises immediate relief to landslide victims

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena visited Arunayake in Kegalle district on Wednesday, where a massive landslide has killed at least 13 people and left hundreds missing.

Sirisena met the relatives of the victims and vowed to provide the government's immediate relief to those who had been affected.

The president also viewed the site of disaster as rescue teams continued their search operations.

The landslide, which struck on Tuesday night due to strong winds and heavy rains, has buried three villages. According to the Sri Lanka Red Cross, over 200 families were still missing while 13 bodies were recovered.

The army said 150 people had been rescued from under the debris and the military together with police and other teams were continuing with rescue efforts.

The army also said three bodies had also been recovered from Bulathkohupitiya, around 72 km away from the capital, when a landslide struck the area in the early hours of Wednesday.

Around 6 rows of houses had been damaged in the landslide, some completely buried, and 13 people were missing. Rescue efforts were ongoing.

Cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne told reporters that the government had released emergency funds to the affected areas and would provide its support to the families of the victims as well as the thousands who had been affected by the extreme weather.

Latest statistics from the Disaster Management Center showed that 19 deaths had been reported from other part of the country till Wednesday and at least 350,000 people had been affected by severe flooding.

More than 140,000 people had been camped at temporary shelters and evacuation programs were continuing across the island nation. Endit