India gives relief goods to Sri Lankan landslide victims

COLOMBO: India today handed over relief goods worth Rs 5 million to Sri Lanka for victims of last month's devastating landslide that killed 13 people.

India had made a commitment to provide emergency humanitarian assistance worth Sri Lankan Rupees 5 million, following the landslide that struck on October 29, in Haldummula Division of Badulla district in Uva Province.

A Natarajan, Assistant High Commissioner of India in Kandy, handed over relief goods to Governor of Uva Province C Nanda Mathew in Badulla.

The relief goods have been identified in coordination with the Sri Lankan government and procured locally.

The items include large and small generators, water pumps, tractor, chainsaws, concrete power saws, canvas water hose and aluminum cookware, among others.

In addition to addressing the immediate needs of the affected people, the Indian government has also committed, as part of its housing project in the estates, to construct houses in some landslide prone estates from where people have been evacuated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also expressed deep condolence over the loss of lives in the calamity that mostly destroyed homes of Indian-origin people and wished speedy recovery to those injured.

The landslide was triggered by heavy rains and wiped out 120 workers' homes at the Meeriabedda tea estate in the central Badulla district.