2nd Lead (Adds photos)

Refugee camp in Trinco collapses, injuring three

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 October 2004, 17:31 GMT]
One of the two old buildings constructed during colonial days in Jamaliya area in the suburbs of Trincomalee town and currently being used as refugee camps collapsed Thursday afternoon wounding three internally displaced persons including two women. One of the injured was admitted to the intensive care unit in Trincomalee general hospital. Other two are also warded in the hospital, sources said.

Part of the collapsed roof

About 28 IDP Muslim families numbering about 200 members are given shelter in two old buildings located in Uppuveli division.

Roof of the one the building suddenly caved in Thursday afternoon due to heavy rain.

Fortunately most of the inmates were standing outside the building talking to inmates of the other building at that time of the incident. Because of Ramadan fasting, Muslim people do not take meals in daytime. Hence no cooking takes place inside the building, sources said.

However few inmates were staying inside the building when the middle portion of the roof suddenly caved in. Three of them were trapped in the debris and the rest escaped safely, sources said.

Section of damaged building

On receipt of information, Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham rushed to the site and took immediate steps to transfer the injured to the hospital and to find alternative accomodation for the affected families.

Muslim businessmen and social activists from all the three communities arrived at the site and started helping the affected refugees, sources said.

Muslim refugees have used this shelter since 1990 violence as their houses and lands located in Abeyapura area, a Sinhala settlement, are currently occupied by Sinhala families, sources said.



MP Thurairetnasingam inside the refugee camp talking to Muslim family members