No Lankan causalities so far

12 March 2011 06:30 am

By Gandhya Senanayake

No Sri Lankan causalities have been reported so far from Japan after the devastation caused by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake, Mr. Sarath Dissanayake, Director General Public Communications of the External Affaires Ministry told Daily Mirror online

He added that all Sri Lankan societies and communities in Japan were being contacted to ascertain the impact on Sri Lankans in earthquake and tsunami hit areas.

“We are in contact with our Mission in Tokyo and monitoring the situation vigilantly. So far no reports of Sri Lankans being hurt or killed have been reported”, Mr. Dissanayake said.

He added that the Sendai area which was heavily affected had only a small Sri Lankan community and no causalities were reported so far from the area.

The 24 hour Information desk at the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry which was setup yesterday will be operational as long as it is necessary for the public to ascertain the wellbeing of their next of kin in Japan, the External Affaires Ministry said.

According to Media reports more than 1,000 people were feared dead after a monster tsunami unleashed by a massive quake which wreaked destruction across northeast Japan and triggered an emergency at a nuclear power plant.

The towering wall of water generated by the 8.9-magnitude earthquake, the seventh biggest in history, pulverized the northeastern city of Sendai, where police Friday reportedly said that 200-300 bodies had been found on the coast. (Daily Mirror online)