Colombo - The US embassy in Colombo was closed temporarily Wednesday after a suspicious powder was detected there, the embassy said in a statement. The powder was reported to have been found in the visa section, but the embassy did not give details.
"The suspicious substance will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Until the results are received and a determination is made that the substance does not pose health or safety risks, the embassy will be closed to the public", the statement said.
The embassy is located in the Colombo city centre opposite the President's House in Kollupitiya.
Police spokesman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ranjith Gunasekara said no formal complaint had been made to the police though they were aware of the detection of the suspicious powder.
At least on two previous occasions the embassy has been closed down for similar reasons.
