Relentless monsoon rains and Cyclone Ditwah have unleashed catastrophic flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka, leaving at least 56 people dead and 21 still missing.
Worst Hit: Badulla Landslide
In the central hills of Badulla district, a massive overnight landslide swallowed an entire residential area. Rescue teams have so far recovered 21 bodies from the mud and rubble.
Cyclone Fuels Chaos
Cyclone Ditwah grazed the eastern coast on Friday, dumping more than 200 mm of rain in hours on already soaked soil. Rivers burst their banks, turning roads into raging torrents and sweeping away homes and vehicles.
Red alerts remain in force along the Kelani River basin, with Colombo itself now under serious flood threat for the next 48 hours.
Heroic Rescues Amid Disaster
- A passenger bus was stranded near Kala Wewa reservoir; police stopped it from crossing a flooded bridge and army helicopters airlifted everyone to safety.
- In Anuradhapura, air force crews plucked a man from the top of a coconut tree after he spent the night clinging there to escape rising waters.
Country on Standstill
- Nearly all train services cancelled
- Major highways closed
- Advanced Level (A-level) exams postponed nationwide
- 20,500 troops deployed to help almost 44,000 displaced people
Wider Regional Nightmare
Sri Lanka is part of a brutal regional weather crisis. Indonesia and Thailand are also battling their worst floods in years as the monsoon and cyclone season ravages Southeast Asia.
Rescue and relief efforts continue around the clock, but with more rain forecast, the death toll is feared to rise.
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