Death Certificates Issued for 203 Persons Missing from Disaster

 The Registrar General's Department has decided to issue death registration certificates for 203 persons who went missing due to the disaster caused by Cyclone 'Ditwa'. The department stated that this step was taken with the aim of expediting the payment of government compensation to the relatives of those who went missing in the disaster.

According to a special gazette notification issued by the government on the 2nd,

provisions have been made to issue death certificates for a person if they go missing due to an emergency disaster situation and no information about them is received for two weeks. If the Grama Niladhari (village officer) of the relevant area confirms that a person is missing, the authority to issue death registration certificates for them has been vested in the District Deputy Registrar.

If no objections are raised regarding the disappearance, applications submitted for the Divisional Secretary's approval will receive the approval of the Regional Deputy or Assistant Registrar General authorized by the Registrar General. Meanwhile, the Registrar General's Department further reveals that steps have already been taken to issue death registration certificates for 126 out of the 611 individuals currently identified as having died due to this calamity.