Five dead, many missing

8 June 2013 03:06 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 4 Bookmark

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At least five people were killed and a large number fishermen were missing as strong monsoon rains and wind lashed Sri Lanka, AFP reported.

Five people were confirmed dead, four at sea and one on land, while dozens of fishermen were missing, police spokesman Buddhika Siriwardena said.

"The navy and the airforce have mounted a search for dozens of fishermen who have been reported missing in unusually rough seas," he said.
The Disaster Management Centre said that rains and strong winds forced authorities to open the sluice gates of four major hydroelectricity reservoirs in central Sri Lanka to prevent damage to dams.

Military spokesman Ruwan Wanigasooriya said ground troops were also deployed to help in relief and rescue operations.
Fallen trees blocked many roads, including the main highway to the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, police said.

Comments - 4

weha Saturday, 08 June 2013 03:24 PM

Sad news. heard that all blame the met department. but i'm really not sure if it is totally their fault. since SL is a small country don't think Sat images can accurately predict situatoins like this.
besides the fishermen should have known going to sea in times like these is dangerous. they call it warakan. they know better than anyone else that it is dangerous. so why put all the blame on the met deprtment?
may the dead rest in peace and the missing found alive.

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coolguy Saturday, 08 June 2013 06:19 PM

The entire airforce fleet flies up and down the coast for victory day celebration practises every day, and two bit politicians use military helicopters for their transport. When fishermen are stuck at sea ONE helicopter is sent about five hours too late along with a few vessels. PATHETIC !!!!!!

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DHA Saturday, 08 June 2013 06:37 PM

Whatever said and done we are still not prepared enough to face natural disasters.....there is no Red Alert team.....

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Weather Buff Saturday, 08 June 2013 06:44 PM

Weha, Sri Lanka is by no means a small country, there are over 130 countries, dependencies and territories that are smaller than Sri Lanka... If you take Sri Lanka's geographical location - an island off the coast of India with no other major land body for hundreds or thousands of kilometers in the vicinity, it should be a cakewalk for a met department with even the most basic weather monitoring equipment to forecast such a massive and destructive system...
However, I do believe that this is not the time for finger pointing, it's time for the government to start investing more on combating the forces of nature... Along with infrastructure development, there should also be more workshops and programs to educate the masses on adverse weather conditions...
The fishermen of this country who are often the most downtrodden sadly, are one of the most important assets of this country... I hope this never happens again.... May their souls rest in eternal peace...

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