Xi offers condolences over Sri Lanka floods, landslides

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday sent a message of condolences to his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena over the devastating floods and landslides that hit the country last week.

In the message, Xi mourned the dead and extended condolences to those affected.

Xi said that the Chinese government fully supports Sri Lanka’s disaster relief efforts, pledging assistance and support within China’s capacity to help with the relief and post-disaster recovery of Sri Lanka in accordance with its requirements.

The Chinese president voiced his belief that the Sri Lankan government and people will overcome the natural disasters and rebuild their homes as soon as possible.

As of Thursday, at least 102 Sri Lankan people have been killed and over 200,000 fled their homes due to the floods and landslides last week. Around 30,000 houses have been completely destroyed.

Although the floodwater in most places is now subsiding, some parts of the Gampaha and Colombo districts are still submerged and landslide warnings remain in rural areas. 

On May 26, Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang called on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Prime Minister’s Office to forward the condolence letters from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe respectively.

The Chinese government announced to grant 1,500,000 US dollars (around 218 million Sri Lanka Rupee) emergency humanitarian cash assistance to the Sri Lankan side, and would continue to provide necessary assistance within its capacity for the relief and reconstruction work according to the requests of the Sri Lankan side.

–Agencies