Another landslide hits Sri Lanka, no deaths or injuries reported

Another landslide hit Aranayake in Sri Lanka's central Kegalle District on Saturday, just days after a massive landslide buried three villages in the same area.

Officer in charge of the operations Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe told Xinhua that no deaths or injuries had been reported in Saturday's landslide as the military had evacuated all residents from the area days ago.

"Only some makeshift houses have been buried in the landslide. Other than that, there have been no injuries or deaths as we had evacuated all the residents from the area," the officer said.

He added that the army was monitoring the area as more landslides were possible from the continuous rains.

The military have so far recovered 14 bodies in Aranayake where a massive landslide struck on Tuesday evening, burying three villages. Mutilated body parts from 12 bodies were also recovered and the army said they were searching for 141 other bodies buried under mud and rocks.

However, rescue officials said that the number of missing may be higher.

Ranasinghe said that search operations were continuing, but efforts were being hampered by heavy rains.

At least 71 people have been killed and 500,000 others affected by strong winds and severe rains which lashed across the country since Saturday evening.

Although on Saturday rains had ceased in many areas, a flood threat continued and residents living in low lying areas had been evacuated to safer areas.

The Meteorology Department, in its latest weather alert, said that more rains are expected to continue in Sri Lanka for the next few days from a cyclonic storm which is located 1,100 km northeast of Kankasanthurai in the island's north.

While the cyclonic storm Roanu was moving further away from the island, the Meteorology Department said that strong windy conditions and spells of showers would continue across the country and the coastal areas. Endit