The popular tourist destination and windsurfing location of Arugam Bay, near the town of Pottuvil, on Sri Lanka's eastern coast, which drew thousands of tourists after the truce between Tamil rebels and government forces, has been washed away in the tsunami that has claimed more than 22,000 lives. Villagers in a handful of fishing hamlets left on the southern coast, 340 kilometres east of the capital, describe how their family members were washed out to sea. Abdulla Moulana, a 60-year-old hotel worker, said he has lost six family members including his wife and three children, and his house is one of 300 which have been washed away. The Sri Lankan military flew the first batch of journalists into the area Wednesday which had been inaccessible since Sunday's disaster. Moulana said he had seen more than 20 bodies being pulled out to sea. The victims included both locals and foreigners and many others from Colombo who had been spending the weekend there. --MORE 2340 Local Time 2040 GMT
