Lanka sends relief, medicare teams
The Government responded swiftly to the massive earthquake disaster
in Nepal last evening with an SLAF C-130 transport being readied to
carry the first load of emergency relief supplies along with the first
medical aid and search and rescue specialist teams to be sent to
Kathmandu.
Emergency assistance planning began last evening on the initiative of
President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
with a meeting of officials chaired by Secretary to President P. B.
Abeykoon and including officials from the ministries of Health, Disaster
Management, Foreign Affairs and military and police officers, government
sources disclosed.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Mangala Samaraweera had telephoned his
Nepali counterpart in Kathmandu to condole over the tragic loss of life
and the severe damage caused by the disaster, a Foreign Ministry media
release said last night. President Sirisena and Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe were also due to make telephone calls to their
governmental counterparts in Nepal later last night.
The Ministry statement said: "The Government and the people of Sri
Lanka is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives and extensive
damage to property caused by the earthquake which occurred this (25th
April) morning in Nepal and extends sincere condolences to the
Government and people of Nepal particularly the families of the bereaved
and wish a speedy recovery to those injured by this calamity. The Sri
Lanka Air Force C-130 Aircraft will carry a medical team consisting of
doctors from the military and the Health Ministry including surgeons,
anesthetists, nurses and relief assistance contingent and, also, tents,
generators, communication, excavating and other equipment. Further
assistance would be considered after a needs assessment in Nepal. Sri
Lanka's Ambassador in Nepal, W.M. Senevirathna has ascertained the
safety and welfare of the Sri Lankans in Nepal and has reported to
Colombo that the 120 Sri Lankan students at the Manipal University in
Pokhara and around 20 Sri Lankans in Kathmandu, are safe. |