COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- The make-shift assistance center for foreign tourists in Colombo, capital of the tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka, is to be closed Friday.

    Sisira Abeyratne, an official of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board serving at the center, told Xinhua that most of the 2,000 foreigners evacuated from the disaster-hit areas have left for home.

    There are some 10 tourists awaiting their clinched flights at the center and they will soon be leaving, said the official.

    Governmental and non-governmental agencies and Colombo-based foreign missions have been making all efforts jointed-handed to arrange for the home journey of the foreigners.

    Over 600 struck of tourists had been accommodated at the assistance center, said Abeyratne, adding that they had received food, drinking water, clothes and other needed aid items.

    Embassy employees had been making efforts to assist some of the foreigners as their travel documents might had been lost in the aftermath of the tsunami.

    The assistance center had been in a hard bid to arrange for the flights for the tourists.

    It also provided them with free international phone call and internet services to contact their families.

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