Death toll of Sri Lanka's floods, landslides rises to 82

COLOMBO - The death toll from Sri Lanka's floods and landslides reached 82 on Sunday while 500,000 people have been affected, the country's Disaster Management Center (DMC) said.

While heavy rains continued in several districts till Sunday, the DMC said the threat of floods and landslides remained in many areas.

The public has been warned to remain vigilant and evacuate to higher grounds in case that water levels in major rivers continued to rise.

Rescue teams continued efforts to provide aid and water to people in flood-affected areas and those who needed to be evacuated were being shifted to safer camps.

So far, 200,000 people have left their homes and sought refuge at temporary shelters set up by the government.

Medical help was also reaching out to people who were injured in the floods and landslides and health officers said there was a threat of water-borne diseases once water levels receded.

Search operations were also continuing in Aranayake, in Sri Lanka's central Kegalle District after a massive landslide hit on Tuesday evening, burying three villages.

As of Sunday, the military has recovered 14 bodies and mutilated body parts from 12 bodies and efforts were continuing to search for 141 more bodies buried under the debris.

However, efforts were being hampered by severe rains, the military said.

In the latest weather alert, the Meteorology Department said showers will continue in many parts of the island and strong wind conditions would also continue along the coastal areas.