News
Entire Gangoda village buried in landslide as heavy rains devastate Kandy District
An entire village known as Gangoda in Ududumbara was buried under earth following a massive landslide triggered by ongoing heavy rains, leaving dozens of residents missing and several dead, authorities said.
District Secretary of Kandy, Indika Udawatta, confirmed that 188 families across the district had been displaced and were currently housed in 17 safe centres. He added that dry rations, medical aid, and other essential relief services were being provided to affected families.
At least five fatalities have been reported in Ududumbara, including Gangoda and Udapitawala, and in the Thalatuoya area of the Hewahata Divisional Secretariat, according to officials. Police said the bodies of five people trapped under landslides had so far been recovered, while ongoing rainfall continues to hamper rescue operations.
In Gangoda, a landslide buried three houses, leaving 10 people missing. Assistant Police Superintendent Jayanta Samarakoon said only one body had been recovered so far, while military, police, and disaster relief teams continued their search under challenging conditions.
Access to the affected areas remains severely restricted. The main Mahiyangana Road through central Kandy has been closed, and the route to Gangoda is blocked by landslides, preventing easy access for rescue teams.
Local residents, working alongside police, have recovered five bodies in total, but reports indicate the number of missing could rise to 20, with victims believed trapped beneath the debris. One body was discovered on the roof of a house buried in the landslide. Authorities warned that continued heavy rainfall is complicating recovery efforts, but search operations are ongoing.
Text and Pic by Shantha Kelum Samaranayake
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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