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More than 30 killed in child daycare centre shooting in Thailand

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A former police officer stormed a child daycare centre in Thailand killing at least 34 people, most of them children, before killing himself and his family, Al Jazeera has reported.The attacker, armed with a shotgun, a pistol and a knife, opened fire on children and adults at centre in Nong Bua Lam Phu province at about 12:30 pm (0530 GMT) on Thursday before fleeing the scene in a pickup truck.

The dead include at least 23 children, said police colonel Jakkapat Vijitraithaya, from the province where the attack happened.The gunman forced his way into a locked room where children were sleeping at the time, according to an eyewitness.After the attack, the gunman went home and killed himself and his wife and child, Jakkapat said.

The gunman has been named as former police officer Panya Khamrab, 34, and Jakkapat said he was dismissed from the force last year for drug use.Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng, reporting from Bangkok, said emergency services were alerted at about 12:30pm (05:30am GMT) local time with reports of a disturbance at a daycare centre in the country’s northeast.

“We understand now there are more than 31 fatalities including a large number of children. A suspect was chased from the scene in a white pick-up truck,” Cheng said, adding that Thai media identified the suspect as a former Thai policeman who had been relieved of his duties.

‘Thought it was fireworks’

About 30 children were at the centre when the gunman entered at around lunchtime, district official Jidapa Boonsom said.

The man first shot four or five staff, including a teacher who was eight months pregnant, Jidapa said.

“At first people thought it was fireworks,” she added.

According to Thai media reports, the gunman also used knives in the attack and then fled the building.

Photographs showed at least two bodies on the floor of the centre covered in white sheets.

Eyewitness Paweena Purichan, 31, was riding her motorcycle to her shop when she encountered the fleeing Panya driving erratically.

“He intended to crash into others on the road,” she told. “The attacker rammed a motorbike and two people were injured. I sped off to get away from him.”

“There was blood everywhere.”

Killed his wife and child

Police spokesperson Paisan Luesomboon told broadcaster ThaiPBS the gunman had been at a court hearing in connection with a drug case earlier on Thursday and had gone to the daycare centre to find his own child, but the child was not there.

“He was already stressed and when he couldn’t find his child he was more stressed and started shooting,” Paisan said, adding that he had then driven home and killed his wife and child there before taking his own life.

Gun laws are strict in Thailand, where possession of an illegal firearm carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years, but ownership is high compared with some other countries in the region.

Mass shootings are rare in Thailand but in 2020, a soldier angry over a property deal killed at least 29 people and wounded 57 in a rampage that spanned four locations. Source: Al Jazeera



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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended

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The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the  Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.

Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.

LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been  issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

 

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“We cannot allow flooding to become a part of the daily lives of the people in the Colombo District” – PM

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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that unauthorized constructions within the Colombo District, nor any form of residential developments that endanger the public carried out under the guise of development agenda will not be allowed.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the media at the conclusion of the Colombo District Disaster Management Committee meeting held on Tuesday [December 09] at the Colombo District Secretariat.

Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:

“The Colombo District has become vulnerable to this extent due to the constructions carried out without any proper planning or understanding of regulations, along with personal and politically motivated decisions that have placed both the district and its people at risk.

Compared to the districts that suffered severe loss of life and property due to the recent cyclone, the damage to the Colombo District has been relatively lower. However, special intervention is being carried out together with the relevant institutions to manage the potential future flood risks in the district.

This matter was also given special attention during today’s District Disaster Management Committee meeting. We cannot allow the flooding to become a regular part of the lives of the people in Colombo. All relevant institutions will come together to put forward a common plan for flood control in the district.”

The Prime Minister further stated that discussions are already underway to provide sustainable solutions for the people living in high-risk areas within the Colombo District.

The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyaratne, and Colombo District Members of Parliament Aruna Panagoda and Chandana Suriyarachchi.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Russia gifts 35 tonnes of Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka

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The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at  Katunayake today (10th December)

The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation  Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).

Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”

The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station,  Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and  Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)

The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.

 

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