Landslides create havoc in central Sri Lanka

Friday, October 31, 2014

With the National Building Research Organization extending its landslide warning by another 24 hours till 7:00 pm Saturday 1 November, more families living on landslide active areas were evacuated today to safe centres in schools. Two more persons were killed today in a landslide in Balangoda in the Sabaragamuwa Province.

Although the search and rescue operations for missing persons continue in the Haldamulla landslide affected area, bad weather and inadequate equipment, such as ground penetrating detectors and spotlights to work at night continue to slow the process.

Over 190 people still remain missing following the massive landslide that buried a village in Haldummulla, Badulla in central Sri Lanka. The disaster occurred around 7:15am Wednesday morning local time and wiped out over 150 line-houses of tea estate workers in the area. 

Reports say that 75 children have lost their families in the disaster. The government announced today that they would take responsibility of the safety and protection of these children and other children who are made vulnerable by the tragedy.

World Vision will be putting up two Child Friendly Spaces this weekend with trained teachers, counsellors and government probation officers to assist children in their psychological recovery. World Vision already completed distribution of over 200 Non-Food Items and Hygiene Kits to families affected by the disaster.

In addition to this, World Vision Lanka will provide women’s packs, infant packs, and also start up psychosocial therapy to adults in camps.