In Sri Lanka, at least 12 people have been killed and several injured when a garbage dump in capital Colombo collapsed on a group of houses nearby. Rescue efforts are in full swing as dozens of people are still reported missing since the incident last afternoon. <br/><br/>The 91-metre-high garbage dump collapsed following rain which triggered a landslide that swamped the homes below. A police spokesman said, around 145 houses have been damaged and 180 families affected. He said, 63 families have been shifted to a makeshift refugee camp nearby. Among those killed are six females and three children. At least eight seriously injured have been shifted to national hospital for treatment. <br/><br/>Sri Lanka government has deployed hundreds of security personnel to dig through mounds of trash for survivors. Rescue efforts may last few days as tons of garbage are to be removed to clear the debris. The incident happened as the country marked its traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year, and most people were in their houses celebrating.
News On AIR | April 15, 2017 2:08 PM
Death toll in Sri Lanka garbage dump fire climbs to 12