Expert Forensic Officer Prof. U.C.P. Perera has revealed that the remains of the bodies of 137 people who died in the Tsunami tragedy and whose identities have not been confirmed are still preserved in the Forensic Medicine Department of the Galle Karapitiya Faculty of Medicine. The bone parts of these deceased individuals will be utilized for research and studies.
Prof. Perera explained that parts of these bodies were discovered in the mangroves and swamps in the areas of Thel Vatta and Paraliya about a month to a month after the tsunami tragedy.
He further mentioned that the clothes and glasses of some individuals found with the bodies are still well-preserved. In the initial months following the tsunami, the bones of these bodies were displayed at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in an attempt to identify the deceased’s relatives, but no one has been able to confirm their identities.
