Deadly flash floods and mudslides leave thousands displaced in Sri Lanka
5 June 2021, 14:04
Rains have been pounding six districts of the Indian Ocean island nation since Thursday night.
At least six people have died and five others are missing after flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains in Sri Lanka.
More than 5,000 other people have been displaced by the conditions, officials said.
Rains have been pounding six districts of the Indian Ocean island nation since Thursday night, and many houses, paddy fields and roads have been inundated, blocking traffic.
Four people died in floods while another two lost their lives in mudslides, according to the government’s Disaster Management Centre. Another five people are missing in floods and mudslides.
A mound of earth crashed onto a house and buried four members of the same family – the parents and two children – in Kegalle district, about 53 miles east of the capital Colombo on Saturday, officials and local media said.
A local television channel, Hiru, showed soldiers and villagers removing mud and debris to recover the victims. Later, the body of the daughter was uncovered.
Figures released by the government showed that more than 5,000 people have moved to temporary shelters and nearly 500 houses have been damaged.
