US says Lanka has not sought its help for landslide tragedy

Washington, Oct.30 (ANI): The United States has said that the Government of Sri Lanka has not made any specific requests for assistance in search and rescue operations in the aftermath of Wednesday's landslide in an upcountry plantation area, which is believed to have buried about 300 people. Responding to a media query whether the U.S. Embassy in Colombo been in touch with the local authorities, Jen Psaki, Spokesperson of the State Department, was quoted by the Colombo Page, as saying that she is not aware of any specific requests that have been issued. Psaki said she is not aware of any American citizens involved in the disaster. "Our heart goes out to the Government of Sri Lanka and the people of Sri Lanka," she, however, said. "Obviously, these events are just happening, so we can keep you abreast if any new information becomes available," she added. (ANI with inputs)