Floods take heavy toll: 12 killed, five missing

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Floods have killed at least 12 people (four in Matara, five in Ratnapura, and three in Seethawaka in Colombo) and adversely affected 87,379 others, according to State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon.

Tennakoon told the media yesterday that the Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle and Matara districts were the worst affected.

There were also minor floods in the districts of Kurunegala, Badullla and Nuwara Eliya, he said, adding that five persons had been reported missing

There were 119 evacuation/relief centres that are housing 23,706 people rendered destitute by floods, he said.

Tennakoon said that the government continued to provide relief to those affected.

About 15,000 people are staying in their own homes in Kolonnawa despite being marooned, he said.

The Department of Meteorology on Sunday warned of heavy rains throughout the country within the next 48 hours.

Death toll 16

Later in the day, the government announced that the number of deaths have risen to 16.