400 missing in Uva landslides

( October 29, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Due to severe landslides, several plantation estate houses (line rooms) and other buildings have been destroyed in Koslanda, Haladamulla and Meeriyabadda which are the badly hit areas.

The local area correspondent told the Mawbima, a daily newspaper in Colombo,  that as of present 400 persons have been reported missing along with one casualty also being reported.

Meanwhile; the Disaster Management Center stated that 250 persons are missing following a landslide that occurred around 7.30 this morning at Meeriyabedda in Haldummulla.

Disaster Management Center Assistant Director Pradeep Kodippili said 10 bodies including a body of a woman have been unearthed.

7 line-rooms comprised of 120 households and two government houses which were situated in 100 acres land were subjected to the landslide this morning.

Police said a Devalaya which was located adjacent to the two government houses was also buried in the land slide.

Superintendent of Ampitikanda Tea Estate Dinusha Kapukotuwa told our news team that workers of his estate belonging to Maskeliya Plantation Company were living in the ill-fated line-rooms.

He also said it is difficult to find the details of the missing persons as the office in which their records had been kept was also buried in the landslide.