Sri Lanka closes schools as floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rains kill seven people

At least seven people have died and thousands have been displaced after heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides across Sri Lanka prompting authorities to close schools in several affected areasAccording to the governments Disaster Management Centre DMC the countrys central teagrowing hill region has been the worst affected by two days of intense rainfall with widespread flooding damaging homes roads and agricultural landThe adverse weather has disrupted daily life in several districts with emergency teams carrying out rescue operations as floodwaters continue to inundate lowlying areasMudslides claim five lives in central Sri LankaDisaster Management Centre spokesperson Pradeep Kodippili said five people were killed after mudslides buried two houses in the central region while two others lost their lives in separate floodrelated incidentsHe said three people sustained injuries during the disasterAuthorities reported that at least 291 houses have been damaged while nearly 3500 residents have been evacuated from vulnerable areas and shifted to safer locationsOfficials continue to monitor the weather situation as further rainfall has been forecast for several parts of the countryRescue teams deployed to affected districtsThe Sri Lankan Navy and Army have been deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations in the floodhit regionsTelevision footage broadcast by local media showed security personnel and residents rescuing people stranded inside flooded homes and assisting families threatened by advancing mudslidesImages aired by local news channels also showed large boulders landslides uprooted electricity poles and debris blocking roads across the central province affecting transport and delaying emergency response effortsAuthorities have urged residents living in landslideprone and lowlying areas to remain alert and follow evacuation instructions issued by local officialsRecovery efforts continue after Cyclone Ditwah devastationThe latest disaster comes as Sri Lanka continues to recover from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah which struck the country in November last yearThe cyclone claimed nearly 640 lives affected around two million people and caused an estimated USD 41 billion in economic lossesThe central province which has again borne the brunt of the latest heavy rains was among the worstaffected regions during the cyclone Reconstruction of roads railway infrastructure and residential buildings damaged by the earlier disaster is still underwayThe fresh flooding and mudslides are expected to further complicate ongoing recovery efforts in the regionSeasonal rains frequently trigger natural disastersSri Lanka experiences frequent floods and landslides during the monsoon season particularly in the central hill districts where steep terrain makes communities vulnerable to slope failuresHeavy rainfall often causes rivers to overflow inundating lowlying settlements and forcing thousands of residents to leave their homesWith inputs from Associated Press