No fewer than 46 people have tragically died along properties damaged beyond repair following an intense flooding which happened in Sri Lanka.
The deaths were cursed after a landslide which triggered over 300mm found its way into the eastern and central regions which affected over 44,000 individuals, 46 of them turning dead casualties in the mishap.
The authorities relayed that many of the victims took refuge in schools and public shelters in the country’s capital, Colombo, and even spread further halting trading, school and train activities.
Following the incident which happened on Friday, the Military and police coordinated evacuations which involved airlifting of 13 people who were trapped on a bridge, numerous families trapped on rooftops and a man stranded on a coconut tree, all in Polonnaruwa, a 220 kilometers city in northeast Colombo.
”Strong winds are making the floods worse,” Khalani Rumy, a septuagenarian resident in the region said.
”We removed furniture from two nearby houses to a safer area and now I am going to the shelter to stay with the rest of my family.”
Activities were also disrupted at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport forcing diversion of 15 flights to Trivandrum and Cochin in South India, as stated by the Sri Lankan Airport and Aviation Services.
The government stated that over 20,000 security agencies and emergency workers are in the area providing rescue intervention for the victims while relief materials are being provided for them.
It added that reforms are being put in place to curb further occurrences of flooding to ensure protection of lives and properties.
