200 families missing in Lankan villages amidst massive landslide

Atleast 200 families are missing after a massive landslide buried hundreds of houses in three villages in Aranayake in Kegalle district of Sri Lanka.

Rescue efforts by Sri Lankan Army troops and the Red Cross teams have recovered 13 bodies so far after the landslide brought on by the incessant rains buried the Siripura, Pallebage, and Elagipitya villages late Tuesday evening.

The Red Cross said so far 180 people have been rescued and they were provided with cooked food and first aid and shelter in a nearby Temple.

Sri Lankan Army deployed rescue and recovery teams of over 280 troops with sniffer dogs and heavy machinery to the site immediately after the disaster for immediate search, rescue and relief operations.

The Army said the operations, commenced during the wee hours on Wednesday and is continuing with the support of villagers, other volunteer teams and hospital staffs .

According to the Kegalle District Secretary around 100 houses have been damaged in the landslide.