Australia offers assistance to Sri Lanka following natural disaster

Australia has offered any assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka following the island wide floods and landslides that killed 58 people and affected nearly half a million more.

“Our thoughts are with the Sri Lankan people after heavy rainfall in recent days caused widespread flooding and landslides, loss of life and damage to homes,” Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Julie Bishop said in a release Friday.

“The Australian Government stands ready to provide any assistance that our Sri Lankan friends may require in responding to this disaster.”

The Ministry also advised any Australians intending to remain in or visit Sri Lanka to heed the advice of local authorities and stay informed of local conditions.

Australia’s travel advice for Sri Lanka has been updated and any Australians travelling to Sri Lanka should also ensure they are registered on smartraveller.gov.au and monitor travel advice to the region, it said.