http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200904222281.htm

Emotional scenes at Anuradhapura hospital

Colombo (PTI): Wailing women, injured children crying for medical attention and desperate victims seeking solace from visiting preachers -- the Anuradhapura hospital in Sri Lanka on Wednesday witnessed some heart-rendering scenes.

At least 240 injured Tamil civilians, who were airlifted on Wednesday from the No Fire Zone, are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

Buddhist monks, who visited the hospital in the city located 212 kms from Colombo, were seen trying to reassure the victims who fled the conflict zone in the north.

Video grab showed a woman in her early 30s with a swollen face with bandages clasping the hands of a monk. The preachers blessed the affected people and prayed silently.

The injured, among whom were civilians wounded in the LTTE suicide bombing in the No Fire Zone, have been brought to the Anuradhapura hospital by Air Force planes.

Another victim was seen tending to his infant child who suffered injuries while they were trying to escape to the government-held areas.

Over 1,00,000 Tamil civilians have arrived from the No-fire zone in the last 72 hours with the LTTE was left with only 8 sq kms of area in the no-fire zone after the army captured one-third of the narrow strip of land.

A woman has delivered a baby in a bus when she was being rescued from the no-fire zone.