12 dead in Sri Lanka following extreme weather conditions

At least 12 people are reported dead and over 3.30 lakh people affected in Sri Lanka due to extreme weather conditions following a massive rain system in southwest Bay of Bengal, officials said on Thursday.

Eight of the dead were reported from the eastern district of Ampara.

The inclement weather is a result of a Deep Depression (extremely heavy rainfall causing system) in the Bay of Bengal, the officials said, it has mainly affected the eastern province.

By 8 am local time on Thursday, over 3,30,000 people from over 98,000 families in 21 districts have been affected, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) officials said.

The meteorological centre hasforecast further heavy rains till Friday while the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) had on Wednesday issued landslide warnings covering four of the nine provinces.

More than 80 houses were completed damaged due to floods and landslides. Over 25,000 people have been relocated to 260-plus shelters at safe locations, the officials added.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake ordered the deployment of military personnel to provide relief to the affected.

Earlier on Wednesday, at least six Colombo-bound flights were diverted to other airports due to heavy rain – 75 mm in 24 hours ending at 8:00 am – and high winds experienced in most parts of the island.

The Irrigation Department had issued flood warning for several low-lying areas of Kelani River Basin and Kala Oya Basin effective until Friday morning.