Supporters of Mithripala Sirisena celebrate in Colombo

Supporters of Sri Lankan presidential candidate Mithripala Sirisena celebrate in Colombo. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa conceded defeat to Sirisena, ending a decade of rule that critics say had become increasingly authoritarian and marred by nepotism and corruption.

Asia remembers devastating 2004 tsunami with tears

Sri Lankan tsunami survivor fishermen pull a fishing net on the beach in Peraliya, Sri Lanka. The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami following the Indian Ocean Earthquake killed approximately 230,000 people across fourteen countries. Sri Lankan authorities reported approximately 35,000 confirmed deaths by tsunami. The village of Peraliya was the worst single site of casualties where a train was swept away killing over a thousand people.

Sri Lankans stand on mud and sludge at the site of a mudslide

Sri Lankans stand on mud and sludge at the site of a mudslide at the Koslanda tea plantation in Badulla district, about 220 kilometers (140 miles) east of Colombo. Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera estimated the number of dead in Wednesday’s disaster would be fewer than 100, although villagers said the figure could easily exceed 200.