Details of Lankan woman trapped in Lebanon building collapse confirmed

October 18, 2023 at 10:44 AM

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has confirmed the identity of a Sri Lankan woman who was trapped under the rubble of a residential building that had collapsed in Lebanon on Tuesday (Oct 17), it was reported.

SLBFE spokesman Gamini Senarath Yapa said that the trapped Sri Lankan woman has been identified as a 65-year-old resident of Miriswatta in Gampaha. 

According to Ada Derana, the woman was among several others who had been trapped after the collapse of the seven-story building.

“The building located close to the Capital Beirut had collapsed yesterday. As per reports from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Lebanon, five people, including a Sri Lankan woman had been trapped under the rubble. We are still receiving reports from the Embassy and will initiate action based on them,” Gamini Senarath Yapa added.

On Tuesday, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Lebanon requested Sri Lankans working in southern Lebanon to immediately register themselves with the Embassy.

Sri Lankans working in southern Lebanon were advised to provide their names and their contact numbers to the Embassy through the hotlines 070386754 and 071960810, or via the email slemb.beirut@mfa.gov.lk 

The appeal was made by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beirut in view of the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine, which has also resulted in a steady exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon over the past few days.

Tensions in the Israel-Lebanon disputed border area are growing, raising concerns of a broader regional conflict. (NewsWire)