Colombo (LNW): Persistent heavy rainfall has resulted in flooding, mudslides, and fallen trees throughout Sri Lanka, leading to the deaths of at least six individuals, reports claimed.
As a result of the adverse weather, officials have shut down schools in affected regions. The country has been enduring the impact of intense monsoon showers for over a week, causing the inundation of homes, agricultural fields, and thoroughfares.
On a tragic note, a massive tree collapsed onto a bus in motion within Colombo, resulting in five fatalities and injuring an additional five people, reported Dr. Rukshan Bellana, the representative for the primary hospital in the capital.
In another incident, the state-affiliated Disaster Management Centre disclosed that a man lost his life in the Galle district – located approximately 130 kilometres to the south of Colombo – when a boulder struck his residence amidst a mudslide.
According to the centre, these calamities have wreaked havoc on hundreds of residences across 12 districts, affecting over 50,000 residents. Among them, about 1,473 families have been relocated to provisional housing for their safety.
Matara, a coastal district, has borne the brunt of the devastation, with extensive areas submerged for an extended period.
Consequently, educational institutions in Matara remained shut on Friday, taking into consideration the ongoing flooding and potential landslide risks.
