Sniffer dogs in search of bodies

Saturday, 1 November 2014 00:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Recovery operations continue despite rain and mist, troops dig by hand
Govt. to enact new laws to resettle vulnerable groups even without plantation company cooperation
Seven districts under landslide threat, people in relief camps grow
1,200 people evacuated in Nuwara Eliya and in 15 centres

By Uditha Jayasinghe in Haldumulla Sniffer dogs were deployed yesterday to search for bodies of hundreds who are still missing after a massive landslide in central Sri Lanka while relief measures for hundreds displaced by torrential rain continues, an official said. Relief efforts restarted for the third day on Friday but a mammoth task still remained as more than 120 houses, a milk collection centre, two shops and a Hindu Temple remained buried. Hundreds of Army troops were deployed to the Meeriabedda village near the central hill town of Haldumulla, but they still need to clear thousands of cubic metres of mud to get at as many as 200 people believed to have been buried alive by the landslide on Wednesday morning. Despite hours of digging, no bodies were recovered on Thursday. The official death toll remains at three. However, varying numbers of up to 10 bodies being recovered have been quoted by different parties in local media. Recovery operations have been hampered by bursts of rain and heavy mists, as well as fears of triggering a fresh landslide. “Fresh troops have been deployed to dig by hand in areas further up the landslide where the three sniffer dogs are trying to locate bodies. Fifty-two Air Force personnel have also been deployed,” confirmed Central Province Security Commander Major General Mano Perera. Meanwhile, in Parliament, Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera making a statement to Parliament pledged to enact new laws empowering the Government to intervene and resettle communities in landslide-prone areas even without the cooperation of plantation companies. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also visited the area and United National Party (UNP) MPs also pledged to support relief measures taken by the Government, in a rare show of unity. The United Nations said it is saddened by the loss of human life caused by the deadly landslide in the Koslanda village of Badulla District in Sri Lanka. “We at the United Nations and Humanitarian Community are saddened by the human loss and missing persons caused as a result of the landslides in the Haldumulla division of Badulla District,” a message by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Sri Lanka.” The Resident Coordinator further said that the United Nations System and the Humanitarian Partners in Sri Lanka remain committed and stand ready to lend further assistance to efforts to respond to meet the needs of the affected communities and support the authorities to expedite search and rescue efforts. India, the US and many local and foreign companies in Sri Lanka have also joined to offer relief. The Sri Lankan Government has announced it will take responsibility for some 75 children who were orphaned by the landslide and have requested the public to come forward with any information of other children who may have been affected. The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) says seven districts are currently being monitored for possible landslide situation, where volunteers and Government officials are on standby to assist in a possible evacuation. Red Cross volunteers assisted in evacuating over 1,200 people in Nuwara Eliya due to the threat of landslides. They are now housed at 15 evacuation centres in the district and being provided with required non-food relief items and first aid support. In a statement issued today, SLRCS said it continues to support the people affected by the Koslanda landslide, currently being housed at two temporary camps in Poonagala and Koslanda. “As of this morning, Red Cross volunteers and officials assisting the search and rescue efforts in coordination with the Ministry of Disaster Management and the military handed over a consignment of baby formula and other relief items, and also safe drinking water bottles. One hundred body bags were also handed over to the military today upon a request by the Ministry.” Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Assistant Director Pradeep Kodippili acknowledged adequate relief items were flowing in but noted they were not being distributed immediately. “There is a space problem at the camps and we cannot distribute everything that is being sent because then there will not be enough space for them to be kept. So we are directing the relief to be warehoused and distributed accordingly. We assure essential items have been distributed,” he told reporters. Numbers in relief camps are expected to increase after landslide warnings were issued to five districts. The Metrological Department has warned rainy weather is likely to continue for several more days.

UN saddened by the human loss due to Koslanda landslide

The United Nations said yesterday that it is saddened by the loss of human life caused by the deadly landslide in the Koslanda village of Badulla District in Sri Lanka. “We at the United Nations and Humanitarian Community are saddened by the human loss and missing persons caused as a result of the landslides in the Haldummulla division of Badulla District,” a message by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Sri Lanka.” The Resident Coordinator further said that the United Nations System and the Humanitarian Partners in Sri Lanka remain committed and stand ready to lend further assistance to efforts to respond to meet the needs of the affected communities and support the authorities to expedite search and rescue efforts. The devastating landslide struck the Koslanda Meeriya Bedda village on Wednesday morning.