Month: May 2017

Under the new Cabinet reshuffle, four State Ministers and three Deputy Minister were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena today (31st May) at the Presidential Secretariat.

Heavy rains, highways buried under landslides and roads submerged under water are hampering efforts to get food, water and medicines to thousands of flood survivors in Sri Lanka, government officials and aid workers said on Tuesday.

President Maithripala Sirisena has taken the necessary measures to suspend the purchase of vehicles for all ministers and MPs until the end of the year, government sources revealed.

Thousands of survivors of devastating floods and landslides in Sri Lanka are at risk of potentially fatal diseases such as dengue fever, charities warned on Monday as the death toll from the disaster continued to rise.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe left for the United States on Saturday on a private visit, sources close to his office said yesterday.

An Air Force helicopter, involved in the relief effort has crashed in Baddegama this morning, Air Force Spokesman said.

Landslides and floods in Sri Lanka have killed at least 151 people and the country faces the risk of more mudslides as torrential rains continue, officials said on Sunday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday sent messages of condolences to President Maithripala Sirisena over the devastating floods and landslides in the country in which 151 people have been killed.

The Chinese Embassy in a statement released yesterday said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang sent messages of condolence to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe respectively over the tragic loss of life and property following the heavy rains that led to severe floods and landslides recently.

The number of people known to have been killed in floods and landslides in Sri Lanka rose to 122, officials said on Saturday, as the country appealed for international assistance.

Floods and landslides in Sri Lanka have killed at least 91 people while more than 100 are missing after torrential rain, officials said on Friday, as soldiers fanned out in boats and in helicopters to help with rescue operations.

More than six people in five houses were reportedly buried in a landslide in Baduraliya due to heavy rains, police said.

Four police teams have been deployed to arrest Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organisation’s General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera.

Brigadier Deshapriya Gunawardena, who has been accused of ordering the Army to open fire at protesters in Rathupaswala in 2013, was arrested and questioned by the CID yesterday

President Maithripala Sirisena and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries in several areas.

India and Japan will jointly set up a $250 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Sri Lanka, the first collaboration between the two nations to counter China’s growing influence in the Island nation.