Monsoon floods claim 14 lives in Sri Lanka, school shutdown
- At least 14 people have died in Sri Lanka due to flash floods, mudslides, and falling trees.
- Three members of the same family drowned near Colombo.
- An 11-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man were buried alive in mudslides.
According to the country’s disaster center, flash floods, mudslides, and falling trees have claimed the lives of at least 14 people in Sri Lanka as monsoon storms batter the island nation. Some victims drowned, including three members of the same family who were swept away near the capital Colombo on Sunday.
The Disaster Management Center (DMC) reported that others were buried alive in mudslides, including an 11-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man. Additionally, nine other people were crushed and killed when trees fell on them in seven districts since the monsoon intensified on May 21, according to the DMC.
While Sri Lanka depends on the seasonal monsoon rain for irrigation as well as hydroelectricity, experts have warned that it faces more frequent floods as the world heats due to climate change.
The DMC stated that heavy rain had affected 20 out of the country’s 25 districts and issued warnings to people living on the banks of main rivers to move to higher ground.
Flights arriving at Colombo’s main international airport were diverted to a smaller airport, and flooding occurred at several exits on some key highways. Additionally, the government ordered all schools to remain shut on Monday following the weekend holiday, as more rain was forecasted.
“There could be more heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and thunder,” the DMC said.
Last week, wildlife authorities discovered seven carcasses of young elephants who drowned, marking the biggest single loss of the animals in five years.
The onset of the southwest monsoon triggered flooding in the elephant habitat in Dimbulagala, located around 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Colombo.
Source link
