The United Nations headquarters was one of scores of buildings that were toppled, including the presidential palace,government buildings and a cathedral. Roads and bridges also lay in ruins.

Communications were widely disrupted, making it impossible to get a clear picture of the damage as violent aftershocks shook the country, where many buildings are flimsy. Electricity was lost in some places.

A thick pall of dust lay over the city as people poured into the streets screaming, with buildings crumbling around them. As night fell, thousands squatted in sports grounds and on the streets, too terrified of aftershocks to return to their homes. More...Discuss this story Published: Tue Jan 12 23:05:43 EST 2010

The government “will not tolerate such acts of violence in the midst of this democratic process,” the presidential secretariat said in an e-mailed statement. The authorities will “bolster security at political events up to and on polling day to ensure that all Sri Lankans can participate safely in the election process.”

The attack took place yesterday in the southern town of Tangalle, the government said. The bus was carrying supporters of opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka, Agence France- Presse reported, citing police. The general wasn’t in the area at the time of the attack, it said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa called presidential elections two years before his mandate expires in a bid to capitalize on his government ending almost 30 years of civil war with Tamil separatist rebels in the north and east. Fonseka, his man challenger, has won backing from the main alliance of Tamil political parties, which wants the north and east to be merged. More...Discuss this story Published: Tue Jan 12 21:21:05 EST 2010