Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Special cabinet meeting to discuss landslide tragedy

Government to care for surviving children

A special cabinet meeting will be chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the Mihiriyabedda landslide that killed scores of people and destroyed more than hundred houses, and large number of persons still missing. This was announced in Parliament by Chief Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Describing this as the worst natural disaster in recent times, he said President Rajapaksa has instructed officials to take full responsibility for orphaned children. He visited the site of landslide this morning and will issue a statement on future action soon.

President visits landslide affected area

President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited landslide affected Miriyabedda area in Haldummulla at 9.30 this morning (October 30). He visited the landslide affected area with Minister of Disaster Management, Mahinda Amaraweera and discussed rescue and relief operations.

President Rajapaksa expressed his sympathies to the landslide victims and bereaved families in Haldummulla of Badulla District.

Pope's visit to Sri Lanka confirmed

The Catholic Church yesterday confirmed that the Pope Francis will visit Sri Lanka from January 13-15 as scheduled.

The Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith presiding at the Presbyterian meeting of the Archdiocese of Colombo held Monday 27th October 2014 at the Archbishop’s House, confirmed the visit of Pope Francis to Sri Lanka on 13th & 14th January 2015.

Govt takes swift measures for rescue and relief in Haldummulla landslide

More than 500 soldiers of the Army 11 Division were deployed in the rescue operations at the site of a massive landslide in Koslanda, Haldummulla that buried a string of line rooms along with some 200 to 300 people just after dawn yesterday (Oct. 29).

According to Police, over 70 line rooms went under the rubble in one of the most damaging landslides in the natural disaster prone Badulla District. As this was being written, nine bodies had so far been recovered from under the mounds of mud and rubble.

MOU with China to boost rubber industry

The Sri Lanka Rubber Research Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China’s state-owned CETC International for the development of the RRI. The collaboration with CETC will include infrastructure development, upgrading of essential equipment and technical assistance.

The proposed laboratory complex is expected to provide facilities to all stakeholders in the rubber sector including the SME sector, rubber product manufacturers including large-scale manufacturers, rubber-based trading companies, rubber importers, research and development personnel, university students and academia.