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| Sri Lanka landslide: At least 10 dead and 'more than 100 missing' at Koslanda tea plantation | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| At least six people have died and more than 150 have been reported missing at a Sri Lankan tea plantation after a monsoon-triggered mudslide buried scores of workers and their homes. | |
| Government officials initially said that over 100 people had died, but have since significantly reduced the death toll and said a clearly pictured would emerge on Thursday morning. | Government officials initially said that over 100 people had died, but have since significantly reduced the death toll and said a clearly pictured would emerge on Thursday morning. |
| The mudslide struck the Koslanda plantation in the Badulla district at around 7:30am local time, destroying the homes of 120 workers, according to Lal Sarath Kumara of the Disaster Management Centre. | The mudslide struck the Koslanda plantation in the Badulla district at around 7:30am local time, destroying the homes of 120 workers, according to Lal Sarath Kumara of the Disaster Management Centre. |
| Witness reports from the scene painted a picture of devastation, amid fears that the ongoing deluge would trigger further mudslides. | Witness reports from the scene painted a picture of devastation, amid fears that the ongoing deluge would trigger further mudslides. |
| Around 500 army personnel and civilians used heavy machinery in an attempt to rescue workers, as monsoon rain saw water gush down the nation’s central hills - swallowing some homes in mud while merely the roofs of others were visible. | Around 500 army personnel and civilians used heavy machinery in an attempt to rescue workers, as monsoon rain saw water gush down the nation’s central hills - swallowing some homes in mud while merely the roofs of others were visible. |
| Scores of children who had left for school early morning returned only to see their homes vanished without a trace along with their parents. | Scores of children who had left for school early morning returned only to see their homes vanished without a trace along with their parents. |
| The scene of the mudslide (EPA) A driver on the plantation, identified as P. Arumugam, told reporters that he rushed to Koslanda when he heard about the mudslide. | The scene of the mudslide (EPA) A driver on the plantation, identified as P. Arumugam, told reporters that he rushed to Koslanda when he heard about the mudslide. |
| “Everything that I saw yesterday I could not see today — buildings, the temple and shops had all disappeared. I could only see mud everywhere,” he said. | “Everything that I saw yesterday I could not see today — buildings, the temple and shops had all disappeared. I could only see mud everywhere,” he said. |
| Military spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayawerera told reporters that the search operation has been called off for the night because of rain and muddy conditions. | Military spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayawerera told reporters that the search operation has been called off for the night because of rain and muddy conditions. |
| Over the past few weeks, most of Sri Lanka has experience heavy rain, prompting the Disaster Management Centre to issue warnings of mudslides and falling rocks. | Over the past few weeks, most of Sri Lanka has experience heavy rain, prompting the Disaster Management Centre to issue warnings of mudslides and falling rocks. |
| A local government official said that the area had been marked vulnerable since 2008 and even evacuation drills had been conducted. | A local government official said that the area had been marked vulnerable since 2008 and even evacuation drills had been conducted. |
| But workers had not been given alternative homes to move into, the official said on condition of anonymity. | But workers had not been given alternative homes to move into, the official said on condition of anonymity. |
| He said the absence of a proper rain water draining system on the hill may have loosened the soil over time. | He said the absence of a proper rain water draining system on the hill may have loosened the soil over time. |
| The monsoon season in the Indian Ocean island nation runs from October through December. | The monsoon season in the Indian Ocean island nation runs from October through December. |