Despite a history of safety violations, the contractor for Wang Fuk Court renovations was presented to residents as having a clean record.

Indonesia's national weather agency says rain could return on Saturday to the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, where floods have swept away roads, smothered houses in silt and cut off supplies.

As part of the plan, survivors of Cyclone Ditwah will be offered up to US$33,000 to buy land in safer locations and build new homes, according to Sri Lanka's finance ministry.