News
Calamity in 18 districts; 21 killed, one million displaced
Floods and landslides continue to claim lives with the death toll reaching 21 by yesterday while another eight people were missing and 15 injured. Nearly a million people in 18 districts have been hit by the intense rainy weather that has raged for more than a week. The Disaster Management Centre said the highest number of deaths was reported from the Badulla district with seven deaths in Badulla and another seven in Hali-ela.
Yesterday, the bodies of a young woman and her new born baby were found among debris after an earth embankment collapsed on a number of houses in Hali-ela. Another body was also found in the same place, police said.Five people from Hali-ela are still missing while search operations with the assistance of the Army continue. The body of a 38-year-old father of two from Dambulla was found floating in Inbankatuwa after the motorbike he was driving was caught to currents of Malawa Oya.
The Meteorology Department yesterday forecast heavy rains and strong winds especially in the North, East, North Central and Hambantota districts as another strong depression condition is approaching the country. “This depression is located 400 kilometres east of Hambantota and will travel northwards. This inclement weather will continue till mid next week,” forecaster Sachith Wickremasuriya said.
Disaster spreads far and wide: One of Sri Lanka’s worst ever flood calamities while killing 21 people and leaving one million displaced has also seriously disrupted hill country rail and road transport. Our picture shows the tracks near the Hatton station with the ballast beneath them having been washed away. Pic by Ranjith Rajapaksa