Hundreds of people still missing after heavy rain and mudslides in country’s deadliest natural disaster for years
Entire areas of Sri Lanka’s capital are flooded after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island, with authorities reporting nearly 200 dead and dozens more missing.
Officials said the extent of the damage in the country’s worst-affected central region was slowly becoming clear on Sunday as relief workers cleared roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides.
In the country’s deadliest natural disaster for years, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said at least 193 people had died after a week of heavy rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah, while 228 people were missing.
The northern parts of Colombo had been flooded as the water level in the Kelani River rose rapidly, the DMC said. “Although the cyclone has left us, heavy rains upstream are now flooding low-lying areas along the banks of the Kelani River,” a DMC official said.
