Raw

We only just heard about the tsunami, bit stunned really. The place we used to live is on one of the worst-hit coastlines, Ambalangoda (between Colombo and Galle, map) in Sri Lanka. We haven't kept in touch with people we knew there, actually the only people we knew well were the Silvas. Mr. Silva was our landlord but we got to know him and the family well because it also meant we were neighbours. Very nice chap. Caroline taught his daughter English, Mrs. Silva was a registrar and married us. From the sound of the reports the accomodation we were in will have been trashed, and quite possibly the Silva's house too. I hope none of the family were hurt, but it will be a miracle if they weren't. You do get quite impressive storms in the area, but there's no protection from anything like this. The population is all within spitting distance from the sea down the coast from Colombo.

Awful, awful.

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Sri Lanka searches for survivors