Salvation Army Chief visits Meethotamulla survivors

The Salvation Army’s global head, General André Cox, on Friday met with survivors of the Meethotamulla rubbish dump collapse and gave encouragement to them and relief workers – including police, military and medical personnel. General Cox and a team of Salvation Army officers visited both the disaster site and a local school that has been turned into a temporary shelter for more than 200 people whose homes have been destroyed.

The Salvation Army, alongside Government agencies and other relief organisations, continues to provide for the immediate needs of those who have lost their homes in the dump disaster, some of whom tragically also lost loved ones. Salvation Army workers have provided meals for more than 500 people and today distributed more than 700 pairs of slippers to people who have lost everything.

In an on-site media interview, General Cox sought to comfort all who have been impacted by the disaster and assured them of the Salvation Army’s ongoing support. He also encouraged Government and humanitarian relief agencies to work together to solve the problems created by the dump’s collapse. He emphasised the imperative need of providing a timely resolution to people’s longterm security needs.

General Cox, with Commissioner Silvia Cox, is in Colombo meeting with Government ministers, heads of churches, leaders of other humanitarian organisations, and members of the Salvation Army’s newly established National Advisory Board.