Authorities have reported nearly 200 deaths and dozens missing after a powerful cyclone caused heavy rains and landslides across the island that flooded entire areas of the Sri Lankan capital.
The extent of the damage in the country’s worst-hit central region was slowly becoming clear on Sunday as relief workers cleared roads blocked by fallen trees and landslides, officials said.
In the country’s deadliest natural disaster in years, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) said at least 193 people have died while 228 are missing after a week of heavy rains caused by Cyclone Ditvah.
The DMC said the rapid rise in water level in the Kelani River caused flooding in northern parts of Colombo. “Though the cyclone has left us, now due to heavy rains, low-lying areas along the Kelani river are inundated,” a DMC official said.
Selvi, 46, a resident of Wennewate, a suburb of Colombo, was forced to leave her home on Sunday carrying four bags of clothes and valuables. “My house is completely flooded. I don’t know where to go, but I hope there is a safe shelter where I can take my family,” she told Agence France-Presse.
Water levels in the town of Manampitiya, 156 miles (250 km) northeast of Colombo, were falling, revealing widespread destruction. “Manampitiya is a flood-prone town, but I have never seen this amount of water,” said S Sivanandan, a 72-year-old resident.
He told the local news center portal that there was massive damage to businesses and property. A car had overturned right in front of his shop.
The National Building Research Organisation, which monitors the stability of the hills, said the risk of further landslides is high as the hill slopes are still saturated with rainwater.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency on Saturday and appealed for international assistance to deal with the situation after the cyclone.
India was the first country to respond, sending relief material and two helicopters to conduct rescue operations. Officials said two more helicopters were scheduled to join in on Sunday.
According to the Sri Lankan Air Force, Pakistan is also sending rescue teams. Japan said it would send a team to assess immediate needs and promised further assistance.
The extreme weather system has destroyed more than 25,000 homes and forced 147,000 people into state-run temporary shelters. 968,000 people were in need of assistance after being displaced by floods.
Army, Navy and Air Force troops have been deployed along with civilian workers and volunteers to assist in relief efforts.
The climate crisis has affected hurricane patterns, including the duration and intensity of the season, causing heavy rainfall, flash floods and strong windstorms.
The cyclone is Sri Lanka’s deadliest natural disaster since 2017, when floods and landslides killed more than 200 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
The worst flooding since the turn of the century occurred in June 2003, when 254 people died.
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