The death toll from torrential rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has risen to 153, with another 191 people still missing, the country’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Saturday. Relief operations are under way, with 78,000 people moved to nearly 800 state-run welfare centres after their homes were destroyed by week-long heavy rains.
Among the dead were 11 residents of a care home for elderly people that was flooded in the north-central district of Kurunegala on Saturday afternoon. The weather system is now moving towards India, but it has already left widespread destruction, affecting more than 500,000 people nationwide. Thousands of police and military personnel are distributing food, clearing roads and moving trapped families to safety.
The military rescued 69 bus passengers in a 24-hour operation on Saturday, including a German tourist, who had been stranded in the Anuradhapura district. A helicopter crew initially aborted a rescue attempt because the downdraft risked collapsing the roof the group were perched on; they were later saved by naval boats. Elsewhere, a man who climbed a coconut tree to escape rising waters was airlifted by helicopter.
The Kelani River burst its banks on Friday evening, forcing hundreds of people to move to temporary shelters. Residents in low-lying areas have been ordered to evacuate. One woman, Mallika Kumari, was rescued with her children but left her cat behind; the pet was later picked up by a navy boat crew. Many others have chosen to stay in upper floors of partially submerged homes to protect their belongings.
Officials said India had rushed a planeload of supplies early on Saturday, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, stating readiness to send more aid. The DMC expects flood levels to exceed those of 2016, when 71 people died. This week’s weather-related toll is the highest since June last year.
