Tremors felt in most parts of Lanka
Disna Mudalige and Ridma Dissanayake
A tsunami warning was issued yesterday by the Disaster Management
Center for coastal areas in Sri Lanka as an earthquake of the magnitude
of 8.6 on the Richter scale struck the west coast of Northern Sumatra
around 2.08pm local time. Tremors were felt in several parts of the
island including Dondra point, Colombo, Jaffna and Trincomalee.
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People rushing home after a tsunami
warning was issued yesterday. Picture by Saliya Rupasinghe |
Measures were taken to evacuate people from coastal areas and to
bring back fishermen who were at sea by the Disaster Management Regional
Coordination Units with the coordination of Security Forces and district
fisheries departments.
The Police had also tightened security throughout the island.
In most public and private institutions, employees were allowed to
leave early following the tsunami alert. There had been a temporary
power cut along the coastal belt while telephone and mobile lines were
also congested.
Congestion on roads and interruptions to coastal railway and public
transport services were also experienced in several parts of the island
following the tsunami alert.
Due to the congestion on the Galle -Colombo route and the temporary
suspension of railway services, the Southern Expressway was opened free
of charge to the public.
It was also reported that the leave of health officers along the
branches of coastal belt were canceled with immediate effect .
A tsunami warning was issued in 28 countries including Indonesia,
India, Thailand, Australia and Burma.
The earthquake struck at a depth of 33 kilometers.
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