Sri Lanka landslides, floods death toll rises to 91; over 100 missing
Floods and landslides in Sri Lanka have killed at least 91 people while more than 100 are missing after torrential rain, officials said on Friday, as soldiers fanned out in boats and in helicopters to help with rescue operations.
The early rainy season downpours have forced hundreds of people from their homes across the Indian Ocean island.
“There are at least five landslides reported in several places in Kalutara,” said police spokesman Priyantha Jayakody, referring to the worst-hit district on the island’s west coast.
“Rescue operations are still taking place.”
The disaster management center said 91 people had been killed and 110 were missing.
The center said 38 deaths were reported from Kalutara while 46 were reported from the central southern district of Ratnapura.
Military Spokesman Roshan Senevirathne said about 400 military personnel had been deployed with boats and helicopters to help the police and civilian agencies.
The wettest time of the year in Sri Lanka’s south is usually during the southern monsoon, from May to September. The island nation also receives heavy rains in the North West monsoonal season from November to February.
Sri Lankan meteorology officials said Thursday’s rains are the worst since 2003 and they expected more rain in the coming days as the South-west monsoon condition had established over the country.
(Reuters / Pix by Dinuka Liyanawatte)
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This event is a disaster, At first, it was accumulating garbage and now, it is flood waters trapped in the land due to human misbehaviour and scant regard for law and regulations.
There is dumb-head sitting in the Minister’s chair for Megapolice and Western development. This person issues directions at lightning speed. At first, it was remove the waste dump which accumulated over 50 years. Now it is an order to remove all illegal structures in drainage reserves.
Does his Ministry have policies on these matters? The 1000’s of Officers employed by the taxpayer in his Ministry, do they have a program or project for garbage management and clearing drainage reserves? Is this Minister spending his time politicking and undertaking hazardous nocturnal journeys? His officers of course, are on eternal holiday when they are not enforcing the law to fatten their pockets.
Corruption reigns supreme in our land. Corruption is the king; the President, Prime Minster, Cabinet, Parliament, Provincial Council, all follow King Corruption who is the supreme ruler of our beloved motherland.
Kneeranjala,
Your comments are superb.
This Minister for Megapolice should be charged tomorrow for manslaughter. This idiot who is occupying that chair is a confirmed idiot.
In a proper democracy, the Minister for Megapolice would have resigned by now. However, leaders in Sri Lanka are thick skinned idiots, never respecting democracy, never respecting the electorate, never respecting the voters, never respecting the taxpayers.
We need a ‘Emmanuel Macron’ in Sri Lanka. the only candidate I see is Anura Kumara Dissanake !