‘Neighbourhoods buried under mud’: Sri Lanka floods death toll rises to 159

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declares a authorities of exigency to woody with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.

At slightest 159 radical person been confirmed dormant crossed Sri Lanka arsenic authorities proceed to conflict rising floodwaters successful parts of the superior aft a almighty cyclone near a way of destruction.

More dense rains brought connected by Cyclone Ditwah are expected crossed the land federation successful the coming days, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said connected Sunday, adding that much than 200 radical stay missing.

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Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror work reported connected Sunday that among those missing were 5 Navy unit who were past seen trying to chopped disconnected overflowing h2o astatine a Naval sub-station successful Chalai Lagoon, northeast of the country.

The extreme weather strategy has destroyed astir 15,000 homes crossed the country, sending astir 44,000 radical to state-run impermanent shelters, according to the DMC.

Al Jazeera’s Minelle Fernandez, reporting from Sammanthurai successful eastbound cardinal Sri Lanka, said the state is struggling to header with the aftermath of the cyclone.

“Some neighbourhoods are wholly buried nether mud, and each 1 brings much despair,” she said. “Communication has besides breached down, and determination are immoderate areas that person yet to nonstop updates.”

In different areas, recently planted atom was submerged successful h2o owed to relentless rain, Fernandez added.

The bluish portion of Colombo was besides facing a large flood, arsenic the h2o level successful the Kelani River continued to rise, DMC said.

“Although the cyclone has near us, dense rains upstream are present flooding low-lying areas on the banks of the Kelani River,” a DMC authoritative said.

An aerial presumption shows houses partially submerged successful floodwaters aft dense rainfall successful Kaduwela connected the outskirts of Colombo [AFP]

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a authorities of emergency connected Saturday to woody with the aftermath of the cyclone and appealed for planetary aid.

India was the archetypal to respond, sending alleviation supplies and 2 helicopters with unit to transportation retired rescue missions. Japan said it volition nonstop a squad to measure contiguous needs and pledged further assistance.

While the rains person subsided crossed the island, respective roads successful the worst-affected cardinal state remained inaccessible, the DMC said.

The utmost upwind strategy has destroyed much than 20,000 homes and sent 122,000 radical into state-run impermanent shelters. Another 833,000 radical required assistance aft being displaced by the floods.

Troops from the army, navy, and aerial unit person been deployed alongside civilian workers and volunteers to assistance with the alleviation effort.

Officials reported that astir a 3rd of the state remains without energy oregon moving h2o owed to collapsed powerfulness lines and inundated h2o purification facilities. Internet connections person besides been disrupted.

The cyclone has go Sri Lanka’s deadliest earthy catastrophe since 2017, erstwhile flooding and landslides killed much than 200 radical and displaced hundreds of thousands.

The worst flooding since the crook of the period occurred successful June 2003, erstwhile 254 radical were killed.