Death toll from Sri Lanka's floods, landslides rises to 37, hundreds missing

The death toll from Sri Lanka's flash floods and landslides rose to 37 on Wednesday while over 350,000 people had been affected, the Disaster Management Center said.

Two massive landslides which struck Sri Lanka's Kegalle Province on Tuesday and Wednesday owing to strong winds and heavy rains, had killed at least 16 people while hundreds remained missing.

The Disaster Management Center said that 18 people had been killed in other parts of the country due to floods and electrocution and evacuation operations were still continuing.

Rains continued in some parts of Sri Lanka even on Wednesday after it began on Saturday evening, causing the water level in many areas to rise further.

People remained trapped in certain areas due to floods and the military were conducting rescue missions.

Search operations in both the sites of the landslide devastation are also continuing in efforts to save people who might be trapped under the debris.

Landslide warnings remained in at least 9 districts across the island country and people had been warned to remain cautious.

The local Meteorology Department, in its latest weather alert said that the low pressure area was moving further away from Sri Lanka but there was a high possibility of a sudden increase of rains in the South Western Part of the country and strong wind conditions over the country and in the sea areas for the next few days. Endit