AMPARA, Dec 29: Some 3,000 Sri Lankan villagers believed to have perished in the island's tidal wave disaster were found alive Wednesday, giving an early lift to airborne military relief operations.
The airforce base in this eastern district of Ampara, one of the hardest hit by Sunday's natural disaster, was resuming rescue operations to help the villagers marooned on a narrow strip of high ground, but without food or water.
"We have already carried out four sorties to drop food and water to them," Squadron leader Chaminda Wickramaratna told the first group of journalists to reach Ampara after the tragedy.
"We are now taking doctors because most of the people are suffering from dehydration." Local officials estimate about 8,000 people had perished in Sunday's disaster, but most parts of this remote coastal region is inaccessible even at best of times because of the hostile terrain. -AFP
