In one of the biggest weather-related tragedies Sri Lanka has witnessed in recent years, floods and landslides caused by torrential rains wreaked havoc this week, leaving at least 40 dead and 21 missing.
According to a statement from the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), a landslide struck residences in the central tea-growing district of Badulla overnight, killing twenty-one persons. Videos of homes being washed away as floodwaters rush through communities have been posted on social media. For impacted families, temporary shelters have been established.
As Cyclone Ditwah creeps down its eastern coast, the nation is now preparing for additional severe weather on Friday. Off the eastern coast, Ditwah started off as a deep depression before becoming a cyclone. It is anticipated to land in India.
The DMC has advised people living in low-lying areas to relocate to higher land since river levels in Sri Lanka are still rising. The Kelani River valley’s low-lying sections are under a red level flood warning for the next 48 hours, according to the Irrigation Department. Colombo, the capital, is among the areas in danger.
Some areas of the island in the north and center are predicted to receive more than 200 mm of rain on Friday, according to Sri Lanka’s weather office. In some areas, train services have been severely disrupted, and important routes connecting provinces have been closed.
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