Four More Bodies Recovered in Aranayake

Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said, while the bodies of a father, mother and their two children were found by a rescue team Thursday under mountains of landslide debris, earth and granite at the Aranayake landslide site, those living in safe areas, surrounding the landslide-prone high-risk zone in Aranayake have been warned against returning to their homes until the monsoonal rains have ended, especially if there is the danger of another landslide disaster.

Aranayake’s displaced families were once again last Thursday evacuated from the temples and schools in which they had been temporarily housed into interim refugee centres comprising tents.
The process commenced following a visit by the Minister Yapa to the temporary relocation centres. The tents cost the government Rs 8.9 million, a Construction Committee member said.

Families housed in these tents will be moved to permanent houses now being constructed for them, he said.
Minister Yapa, addressing those who voiced fears of returning to a high-risk zone, said, the temporary tents as well as the permanent houses will be built in safe locations away from the high-risk landslide-prone areas. Safe locations for the houses have been recommended by the National Building Research Organization, he said.
The Minister was on his visit confronted by irate displaced persons at a Development Committee meeting at the Regional Health Office, who demanded aid for the displaced.