Colombo, June 3 (EFE).- Floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed several people and displaced thousands in Sri Lanka, officials said on Monday.
Disaster Management Center spokesperson Janake Hadunpathiraja told EFE that at least 10 people have lost their lives and six more are missing in the devastating floods that have left a trail of destruction across the island nation.
Over 30,000 people have been affected by the heavy rainfall since the weekend. Some areas of the island reported over 400 mm of rain, causing residents in low-lying areas to seek temporary shelters.
According to the disaster management agency, Ratnapura, Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, and Matara are the worst affected.
“Rescue teams have been deployed. Over 5,000 people were taken to 52 temporary shelters,” DMC Director Pradeep Kodippili told media.
Kodippili urged the public to avoid visiting affected areas, noting that a group of people who went to see the floods has gone missing.
Meteorology Department Director General Athula Karunanayake said that monsoonal rains are expected to continue until September.
He added that with the help of the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the meteorology department is expecting new technology to predict rainfall more accurately in the future.
According to a statement from the President’s Media Division on Sunday, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has advised concerned parties to help rebuild houses completely damaged by the rainfall with the assistance of the tri-forces, police, and government within the next two months.
Over 4,000 houses were partially damaged during the floods and landslides, while 28 houses suffered complete destruction. EFE
aw-ssk
