Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, April 17

Death toll from the collapse of a rubbish dump in the Sri Lanka capital of Colombo has risen to 26 on Sunday evening, the local police said.

The garbage pile collapsed burying adjoining households. Rescue work was still underway with the assistance of Sri Lanka Army, Airforce and the police. (Sri Lank-Rubbish Dump)

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YANGON -- Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw on Monday urged the country's more than 100 ethnic nationalities to combine their diversity and turn it into force in the new year in pursuit of national reconciliation and peace.

U Htin Kyaw made the remarks in his message delivered on the occasion of the first day of the Myanmar calendar New Year after a four-day water festival. (Myanmar-Peace)

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TOKYO -- Twenty-three people were taken to hospital with one of them sustaining serious injuries, after a private bus carrying 54 firefighters and a car collided in Fukuoka Prefecture on Monday, according to rescue officials.

The driver of the passenger car, a man in his 20s, suffered a broken pelvis, but all others involved in the collision sustained only minor injuries, local reports said, quoting rescue officials. (Japan-Bus Crash)

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YANGON -- Cyclone Maarutha was making landfall on west Myanmar's Rakhine coast Sunday night, according to a forecast released by the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

The cyclone, which is expected to sweep within the next 12 hours the Thandwe township, will gradually lose its strength to become a small inland cyclone passing Nay Pyi Taw area, and Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Rakhine, Shan and Kayah regions and states with a speed of 48-56 km per hour, the forecast said. (Myanmar-Cyclone) Endit