Colombo city garbage to Karadiyana

The army backed by villagers continued their search for bodies around the Meethotamulla garbage dump as the death toll exceeded 30 with a similar number feared missing, officials said.

As heavy machinery was being used to clear up the area villagers expressed concern that the search parties would not be able to account for all the bodies of those who were buried after the collapse of the garbage dump on Friday.

Authorities have so far relocated some 450 families in schools and other temporary shelters as some 145 houses have been damaged in the incident.

With the government decision to halt dumping of garbage in Meethotamulla, the Colombo Municipal Council obtained a court order to dump the garbage at the Karadiyana, Piliyandala.

Meanwhile, the government was assessing the compensation payments for the affected families yesterday after contradictory claims were made about the compensation to be paid.

The Finance Ministry in a statement initially said they were to pay Rs 100,000 compensation in the event of a death,  but later Minister of Environment and Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said they were still finalizing the amount to be paid.

He explained that the Rs 100,000 was an insurance payment for which the victims families will be entitled in any case.

The Finance Ministry later corrected itself.

Kottikawatte residents launch protest over garbage dumping

Kottikawatte residents have launched a protest against the dumping of garbage in the area, local media reported.

According to reports, Colombo-Avissawella Road is currently obstructed as a result of the protest. The move to dump garbage from Colombo in Kotikawatte and other sites comes in the wake of the Meethotamulla tragedy.

The death toll from the accident has killed and as many as 30 and still more missing after a section of the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapsed on residents on Friday (April 14).

Turkish plane Crash Killed 30 people

A Turkish Airlines cargo plane from Hong Kong has crashed in Kyrgyzstan, killing at least 32 people, most of them on the ground, say officials. The Boeing 747 crashed into homes near Manas airport, about 25km (15 miles) north of the capital, Bishkek, the Kyrgyz government said. Several buildings were destroyed, and a number of children are reported to have been among those killed. The flight was making a stopover at Manas en route to Istanbul in Turkey. It came down at 07:31 local time (01:31 GMT) in the populated area. Visibility was poor because of thick fog at the time, but the cause of the crash has not yet been confirmed. Images on social media purporting to be of the crash site show fire and smoke rising from the rubble of destroyed buildings. There are reports that one crew member survived. Emergency services are at the scene. Local media is reporting that Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov is also there. The plane is thought to be around 14 years old and currently operated by MyCargo. Manas airport, the main airport in the country, has been closed.