The Sri Lankan government has decided to set up an early warning system after the devastating Tsunami tidal wave attacks which wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka's coastal belt, a government minister said Monday.

Minister of Environment A.H.M. Fowzie said that a committee appointed for the purpose would look into the possibility of setting up an effective early warning system.

The Dec. 26 Tsunami attacks left over 30,000 dead and 800,000 more displaced in the Indian ocean island's southern and eastern coastal areas.

Nearly 100,000 homes were destroyed with most of the coastal areas ending up in rubble.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2005)