Sri Lanka's capital hit by floods as cyclone death toll nears 200

"Entire areas of Sri Lanka's capital are flooded after a powerful cyclone triggered heavy rains and mudslides across the island, with authorities reporting nearly 200 dead and dozens more missing. Officials said the extent of the damage in the country's worst-affected central region was slowly becoming clear on Sunday as relief workers cleared roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides."

"Selvi, 46, a resident of the Colombo suburb of Wennawatte, was forced to leave her home on Sunday, carrying four bags of clothes and valuables. My house is completely flooded. I don't know where to go, but I hope there is some safe shelter where I can take my family, she told Agence France-Presse."

"The northern parts of Colombo had been flooded as the water level in the Kelani River rose rapidly, the DMC said. Although the cyclone has left us, heavy rains upstream are now flooding low-lying areas along the banks of the Kelani River, a DMC official said. The National Building Research Organisation, which monitors the stability of hillsides, said there was a high risk of further landslides because mountain slopes were still saturated with rainwater. The Sri Lankan president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, declared a state of emergency"

Powerful Cyclone Ditwah caused a week of heavy rains, triggering floods and mudslides across Sri Lanka and inundating large parts of Colombo. Authorities reported at least 193 people killed and 228 missing, with worst impacts in central regions. Relief workers cleared roads blocked by fallen trees and mud to reach affected areas. Northern Colombo neighborhoods flooded as the Kelani River rose, while upstream rains continued to swell low-lying banks along the river. Residents reported homes and businesses destroyed, vehicles swept away, and saturated mountain slopes creating a high risk of further landslides. Evacuees carried personal belongings and searched for safe shelters amid ongoing flooding. A state of emergency was declared.

Read at www.theguardian.com