SL requests help from US

31 October 2014 06:04 am

The US was currently working with USAID’s Office to respond quickly to a request made by the Sri Lankan Government asking for assistance in the aftermath of the Meeriyabedda landslide, US State Department said yesterday.

 

 
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told the daily news briefing that the US Ambassador in Colombo has requested assistance from Washington.    

 

“Our ambassador on the ground has exercised her authority to declare it as a disaster and requested assistance from Washington. The State Department is currently working with USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance to respond quickly,” she said.

 

She extended her deepest condolences to the Sri Lankan Government and the people affected by the landslides and commended the rapid response and valiant search and rescue efforts by the GoSL and armed forces.

Meanwhile, the United States Government has provided 6.5 million Sri Lankan Rupees ($50,000) for emergency humanitarian assistance to meet the urgent needs of victims of the recent landslides in Koslanda as requested by the Sri Lankan Government.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is working closely with Sri Lanka’s National Disaster Relief Services Center and international aid partners to coordinate the donation of most urgently-needed items.