Sri Lanka Battles Severe Flooding: At Least 31 Lives Lost

Sri Lanka Reels from 11 Days of Torrential Rains as Death Toll Rises to 31

Sri Lanka Battles Severe Flooding; At Least 31 Lives Lost: Sri Lanka is facing mounting devastation after 11 consecutive days of torrential rainfall triggered widespread flooding and deadly landslides across the country. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported on Thursday that 31 people have lost their lives, while nearly 4,000 residents have been severely affected by the unfolding natural disaster.

The central hill districts have borne the brunt of the destruction, with 18 fatalities recorded so far. In one particularly tragic incident, a passenger bus became stranded in rapidly rising floodwaters in Kumbukkana. Emergency response teams successfully rescued 23 passengers from the vehicle, according to the Daily Mirror, though 10 people were injured and 14 remain missing, Adaderana reported.

Amid the worsening crisis, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake convened a high-level meeting to assess the escalating situation affecting 17 of the country’s 25 administrative districts. Meteorological officials confirmed that a low-pressure area forming southeast of the island has strengthened into a depression, currently positioned about 210 kilometers southeast of Batticaloa.

“It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours,” the Meteorological Bureau warned, forecasting rainfall exceeding 200 mm in several regions.

Sri Lanka is still recovering from previous flooding in October 2024, when heavy rains inundated Colombo and surrounding areas, affecting over 134,000 people. Schools were closed as waters rose to the roofs of homes and shops in some neighborhoods.