Apology for Cyclone Named After Sri Lankan King

The cyclone, which hit two weeks ago, killed 18 people across Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma. Majority Sinhalese nationalists said the king’s name should not have been used in such a negative context. The name Mahasen was one of a pool of names compiled by eight Indian Ocean nations a decade ago. Meteorology department director-general SH Kariyawasam said that he was sorry "if any insult was caused to King Mahasen or the country’s proud history".