At least eight persons were reported dead in heavy spells of rain and strong winds over the past few days in Sri Lanka, the Disaster Management Centre has said.
According to the state-run Daily News five people died in the island’s Central Province, while three deaths were reported in the Southern Province, due to persistent rain, strong winds, landslips, and rough seas since last Thursday. Four more have been reported missing.
Nearly 6 lakh people have been affected by the adverse weather conditions, the Disaster Management Centre said in a report on Monday, pointing to the most-affected areas in the hill country, particularly in the Central Province. In the town of Hatton, in Nuwara Eliya district, twin sisters aged 12 died in flash floods while returning from school, local media reported.
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While capital Colombo experienced strong winds last week, heavy rainfall has been reported mostly in the central and southern parts of the island, with authorities periodically advising fisher folk to avoid going to the sea.
As per the Disaster Management Centre’s estimation, at least 2,000 houses have been damaged in the inclement weather.