Colombo city garbage to Karadiyana

The army backed by villagers continued their search for bodies around the Meethotamulla garbage dump as the death toll exceeded 30 with a similar number feared missing, officials said.

As heavy machinery was being used to clear up the area villagers expressed concern that the search parties would not be able to account for all the bodies of those who were buried after the collapse of the garbage dump on Friday.

Authorities have so far relocated some 450 families in schools and other temporary shelters as some 145 houses have been damaged in the incident.

With the government decision to halt dumping of garbage in Meethotamulla, the Colombo Municipal Council obtained a court order to dump the garbage at the Karadiyana, Piliyandala.

Meanwhile, the government was assessing the compensation payments for the affected families yesterday after contradictory claims were made about the compensation to be paid.

The Finance Ministry in a statement initially said they were to pay Rs 100,000 compensation in the event of a death,  but later Minister of Environment and Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said they were still finalizing the amount to be paid.

He explained that the Rs 100,000 was an insurance payment for which the victims families will be entitled in any case.

The Finance Ministry later corrected itself.