Friday, January 13 2006 17:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Rameswaram (TN): The influx of refugees continued for the second day with a group of nine Sri Lankan Tamils arriving here this (Jan 13,2006) morning.

Revenue officials said they had made arrangements to accommodate them at the Mandapam transit Camp near here.

A group of 24 Sri Lankan Tamils arrived here from Talaimannar yesterday (Jan 12,2006), the first after hostilities broke out between the Sri Lankan army and suspected Tamil Tiger rebels on January 7 off Trincomalee. They were accommodated in the Mandapam camp, the officials said.

The refugees, who arrived today, included three men, and an equal number of women and children. They belong to Desali in Mannar district.

They said they had paid rs 7000 per head to a boat operator,for ferrying them to India from Sri Lanka. They also claimed that a lot of people were waiting to flee the Island Republic and said they would reach the Indian coast anytime, if they manage to get boats.