Six people are feared dead following a landslide in the Aladuwatte village in Wattapola, Kadugannawa early morning yesterday.
The body of a woman and a child were recovered and a contingent of over 100 soldiers, officials and villagers are on the search for the rest of the people buried beneath a 25 feet earth mound.The incident which occurred around 1.00 a.m., damaged three houses totally.
The occupants of one house escaped unhurt while two others living in the other two houses too were able to get out before a large earth mound completely buried their homes. The deceased were identified as M.Begam, 47, and her two children B. Rusdeen, 25, and B.M. Amjad, 15. Begam’s husband escaped unhurt.
Meanwhile, in the other house A.F.Safana, 47, and her two children Mohammed Safin, 16, and Mohammed Siyam, 8, were found dead. Safana’s husband also escaped unhurt.
Following the landslide, DMC authorities, the Army and villagers launched a rescue operation. However bad weather hampered their efforts.
According to officials the bodies were buried about 25 feet deep and the Army deployed about 100 soldiers in the rescue effort.
Meanwhile, authorities have taken steps to relocate over 50 families living in the area at temporary shelters.
An eyewitness describing the incident said: “I went to sleep early because there was no electricity. It was raining heavily. I heard a sound outside and went to see what it was. When I switched on my torch I saw the earth mound behind my house moving slowly. I shouted and asked my three children and wife to come out immediately.
“As soon as we got out the earth mound came crashing on our house. The whole area was shaking and I saw the two houses which are located below us in the slope going under the gushing water and soil. The occupants in those houses are my close relatives. We are all shocked.”
Mohammed Neelar, another neighbour said: “We are all close relatives. This area has not experienced any landslides during the last 60 years. I have heard that there was an incident here before that period. We have not been informed by the authorities that this area is landslide prone.”
Meanwhile, Grama Niladhari S. Serasinghe said the occupants of the houses had been informed that their houses were located in a landslide prone area.
She said that however, the villagers in the affected area had repeatedly refused to leave their ancestral homes. Serasinghe said plans were afoot to move around 50 families from the area identified by authorities as landslide prone.
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