President expresses concern

A shocked President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is on a visit to Trincomalee, expressed his concern at the devastation caused by the landslides at Meeriyabedda in Haldummulla.

He expressed his deepest sympathies to the next of kin of the victims of the massive landslide and instructed Minister Arumugam Thondaman to immediately visit the affected area and make arrangements to assist those affected and monitor the ongoing rescue operations.

The President also directed Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Uva Chief Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to also visit the scene of the tragedy and provide assistance to the victims.

Meanwhile, Haldummulla Divisional Secretariat’s Planning Director Gamini Ratna said eight bodies buried under a massive mound of earth were recovered by noon yesterday and some 300 were still missing.

“We have taken measures to provide shelter to some 500 displaced people at the Koslanda Tamil Maha Vidyalaya and Punagala Tamil Maha Vidyalaya. We will provide them with cooked meals but we do not have enough mats and pillows to accommodate the increasing number of displaced people,” he added.

Mr. Gamini Ratna said seven line-rooms, a Kovil and two shops had been buried under the earth slip.

Meanwhile, a meeting chaired by Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera was held to discuss how the government could provide compensation to the survivors and pay the funeral expenses of those who had died in this disaster.

Armed forces personnel were deployed to clear the affected area and search for the missing people.