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| Monday, 27 December 2004 |
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A state of National Disaster was declared yesterday by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, soon after she was informed of the extensive damage to life and property in the coastal areas. The Presidential Secretariat said President Kumaratunga has appealed to the international community for emergency assistance. The President left London last night and is due to arrive in the island this morning. The extent of the damage is assessed by senior officers at a meeting at the Defence Ministry chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse. Several Cabinet Ministers, the Secretary to the President, the service chiefs and the IGP were at the conference. President Kumaratunga in a message issued from London said that she was deeply grieved and shocked to learn the catastrophe. "I am deeply grieved and concerned about the plight of the people and sorry to learn the loss of human life and property. I also express my deepest sympathies to the families who have lost their loved ones as a result of this unexpected predicament". "No sooner I learnt of the disaster I have sent instructions to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and several Ministers to take steps to provide necessary assistance to the people who needed help. With that an "Office to provide assistance" has been set up at the Prime Minister's Office. "We have taken steps to provide all assistance necessary and I learn that there is lack of aircraft and I am in contact with a number of countries to receive assistance in this respect. I am hopeful that we will get necessary aircraft and other assistance from them. "However, I appeal to the people to bear with the government for the moment if there is any delay in providing assistance to them as the present disaster is something that occurred unexpectedly and at an unexpected time. I appeal to you my dear people not to get panicked but to work with patience. This is a time that all of us should get together and work forgetting all our differences. I have also decided to cut short my stay and fly back soon to the country," the message from the President said. Immediate action will be taken to provide relief to the victims of the tidal wave disaster, stated a media communique by the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday. Addressing a special media conference of heads of media organizations yesterday, President's Secretary W.J.S. Karunaratne stated that beginning from the Eastern Coastal Belt, the areas up to Hambantota and Matara are the areas most seriously affected by the floods following the sudden tidal wave and that the three armed forces have been deployed to bring the situation under control while air crafts and helicopters have been engaged to provide relief to the people marooned. He said that the Government has declared a state of National Disaster following the calamity. He further said that President Kumaratunga on hearing the news gave instructions from London to take all necessary action and that she was already on her way back home. A number of countries have come forward to help us in this hour of grief and UK and USA are among them. Indian Prime Minister has already been made aware of our plight. The media should convey to the public only the truly verified information, stated the President's Secretary. Addressing the media, Public Security Ministry Secretary Thilak Ranaviraja stated that from the beginning of the disaster the police played a significant role in the relief operations and that items like tents, clothing, and dry rations are the essentials urgently needed. Such relief may be delivered at the National Disaster Management Authority, No.28, Independence Avenue, Colombo 07, he said. |
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