Sri Lanka, Oct 30 (ANI): Hopes of finding survivors under the mud and rubble of a landslide in south-central Sri Lanka had run out by first light on Thursday, though a government minister cut the estimated death toll to more than 100 from 300 the previous night. The landslide, which stretched 3 km, engulfed the tea-plantation village of Haldummulla, 190 km from the capital Colombo on Wednesday (October 29) after months of heavy monsoon rain. Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that he did not think there could be any survivors, but revised the estimated death toll to 192 from 300 the previous evening. The centre said 150 houses were buried in the landslide. At the disaster site, hundreds of soldiers and government officials resumed search and clearing operations, using three earth-moving machines that rumbled amid broken trees, blocks of concrete, tin roofing and muddied clothes.
