Hope fades for Sri Lanka missing

Garbage toll hits 23

COLOMBO:  Hopes of finding anyone alive under a collapsed mountain of garbage in Sri Lanka's capital faded Sunday as the death toll reached 23 with another six reported missing, police said, reports AFP.
Hundreds of soldiers, backed by heavy earth moving equipment were digging through the rubbish and the wreckage of some 145 homes that were destroyed when a side of the 300-foot (90-metre) high dump crashed on Friday.
"The rescue is fast becoming a recovery operation," a senior police official at the site said. "It is difficult to imagine anyone could survive under these toxic conditions."
He said six people were reported missing after Friday's disaster at Kolonnawa on the northeastern edge of the capital.
The Colombo National hospital said four children aged between 11 and 15 were among the 23 people killed. Hospital spokeswoman Pushpa Soysa said a man and a woman pulled out of the dump on Friday were in intensive care while another 11 were also still in hospital.
Police have stepped up security in the area following reports of looting and said they arrested 18 men suspected of stealing victims' belongings.
President Maithripala Sirisena ordered hundreds of troops to search for survivors and bolster rescue efforts of the fire department.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is visiting Japan, said arrangements had been made to remove the garbage dump, but it came crashing down before relocation work could begin.

Hope fades for Sri Lanka missing

Garbage toll hits 23

COLOMBO: Hopes of finding anyone alive under a collapsed mountain of garbage in Sri Lankas capital faded Sunday as the death toll reached 23 with another six reported missing, police said, reports AFP. Hundreds of soldiers, backed by heavy earth moving equipment were digging through the rubbish and the wreckage of some 145 homes that were destroyed when a side of the 300-foot (90-metre) high dump crashed on Friday. The rescue is fast becoming a recovery operation, a senior police official at the site said. It is difficult to imagine anyone could survive under these toxic conditions. He said six people were reported missing after Fridays disaster at Kolonnawa on the northeastern edge of the capital. The Colombo National hospital said four children aged between 11 and 15 were among the 23 people killed. Hospital spokeswoman Pushpa Soysa said a man and a woman pulled out of the dump on Friday were in intensive care while another 11 were also still in hospital. Police have stepped up security in the area following reports of looting and said they arrested 18 men suspected of stealing victims belongings. President Maithripala Sirisena ordered hundreds of troops to search for survivors and bolster rescue efforts of the fire department. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is visiting Japan, said arrangements had been made to remove the garbage dump, but it came crashing down before relocation work could begin.