Tsunami remembrance Day in Kandy

Rasika Somarathna

The Government yesterday called on all Sri Lankans to observe two minutes silence on December 26, from 9.25 - 9.27 a.m in remembrance of all Lankans who lost their lives in natural disasters, including the victims of the December 2004 Tsunami.

The Government is also to launch several initiatives to propagate the country's disaster management process on December 26, which has been declared as the National Safety Day.

According to a proposal by Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Cabinet had taken steps to declare December 26 as National Safety Day.

Acting Minister Rohana Dissanayake said the main commemorative event would be held at Dharmaraja College, Kandy.

Calling the tsunami devastation an eye opener, the Minister said Sri Lanka had better mechanisms today in place to face such disasters.

According to the Minister, 10 of the early warning towers which span the coastal belt of the country would be commissioned on December 26, during the commemorative event in Kandy.

A number of other projects are to be launched which would enhance the country's capacity towards disaster preparedness.