Sri Lanka, rescue operations hampered: more than 300 people buried alive by mud
Colombo
(AsiaNews) - More than 300 people have been buried alive and an
entire village swept away by an
avalanche of mud. This is the death
toll from yesterday's landslide in the mountainous area of Meeriyabedda
(Badulla District), inhabited by farmers on the local tea plantation. Bad weather is
hampering rescue operations and so far
only 10 dead
bodies have been pulled out. The
village children however, are safe having left early for school.
The Disaster Management
Centre (DMC) reports that approximately 40 hectares of land and 120 homes have been affected by the landslide. The houses, shops and the village hall - a total of 150 buildings
- are under thirty
feet of mud and only a few
roofs are visible.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered security forces to take part in the rescue operations, and more than 500 soldiers
have been deployed They join the air force, police, volunteers
and health workers who are racing to recover
bodies.
18/08/2010
22/03/2022 12:15