Sri Lanka flood, landslide toll rises to 123: Official

AFP/APP

Colombo: Torrential rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have killed 123 people across Sri Lanka, with another 130 still missing, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Saturday.

DMC Director General Sampath Kotuwegoda said relief operations were ongoing, with 43,995 people shifted to state-run welfare centres after their homes were destroyed during a week of heavy rains.

The weather system is now moving away from Sri Lanka toward India, but authorities said it has already caused massive destruction.

“Relief operations with the help of the armed forces are underway,” Kotuwegoda told reporters in Colombo.

Although Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on Wednesday, its effects have been felt since Monday, unleashing record rainfall across the island.

Flooding worsened on Saturday in low-lying areas, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for residents along the banks of the Kelani River, which flows through Colombo into the Indian Ocean. The river burst its banks on Friday evening, forcing hundreds to flee to temporary shelters.

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While rains eased in most parts of the country, including the capital, the island’s north continued to experience showers due to the cyclone’s residual impact.

Officials said India dispatched a planeload of relief supplies early on Saturday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the loss of life, saying New Delhi was ready to provide additional assistance.

The government has deployed armed forces nationwide to reinforce rescue and relief efforts, using military helicopters and boats to evacuate marooned residents.

DMC officials said current flood levels may surpass those seen in 2016, when 71 people were killed. This week’s weather-related death toll is the highest since June last year, when 26 people died in heavy rains. In December, 17 people were killed in flooding and landslides.

Sri Lanka’s worst flooding this century occurred in June 2003, when 254 people were killed.