Asia

Death toll in Sri Lanka garbage mound collapse rises to 27

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Sri Lankan military officers work in a rescue mission at the site of a garbage dump collapse in Meetotamulla, on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 16, 2017. The death toll from the collapse of the massive garbage mound near Sri Lanka's capital rose to more than a dozen Sunday, and residents feared more victims could be buried underneath the debris. Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe, who is heading the rescue efforts, said 78 houses were destroyed and more than 150 were damaged. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (The Associated Press)

Sri Lankan men walk back after erecting a white flag on top of a garbage mound following the garbage dump collapse in Meetotamulla, on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 16, 2017. The death toll from the collapse of the massive garbage mound near Sri Lanka's capital rose to more than a dozen Sunday, and residents feared more victims could be buried underneath the debris. Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe, who is heading the rescue efforts, said 78 houses were destroyed and more than 150 were damaged. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (The Associated Press)

Sri Lankan military rescuers walk past a house damaged in the garbage dump collapse in Meetotamulla, on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 16, 2017. The death toll from the collapse of the massive garbage mound near Sri Lanka's capital rose to more than a dozen Sunday, and residents feared more victims could be buried underneath the debris. Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe, who is heading the rescue efforts, said 78 houses were destroyed and more than 150 were damaged. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (The Associated Press)

Authorities say the number of dead and missing has risen from the collapse of a massive garbage mound near Sri Lanka's capital.

At least 27 people have died and some 30 others are missing and are feared to be beneath the rubble. The Disaster Management Center said Monday that 11 people were injured and 79 homes were destroyed when the mound collapsed Friday as people celebrated the local new year.

Military personnel were searching the site in Meetotamulla, outside Colombo, and were speaking to survivors to determine how many people were still missing.

The site became a dumping ground for Colombo's garbage as authorities pushed to develop the capital in recent years.

Residents protesting the dumping because of health hazards.