Sri Lanka, Dec. 14 -- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the recent disaster dealt a severe blow to an economy that was being rebuilt steadily and systematically and that in the face of such a challenge, it is the duty of every citizen not to withdraw or remain in hopelessness, but to come together with unwavering determination to restore the nation.

President Dissanayake paid heartfelt tribute to the Sri Lanka Navy for its immense contribution during the disaster, particularly commending its courageous rescue operations at the Kala Oya, where naval personnel risked their own lives to give hope to those trapped by fear of death and saved a large number of lives, the President's Media Division (PMD) said.

He expressed deep gr...