Heavy rain in Sri Lanka has caused floods, mudslides, and the downing of trees, resulting in the death of at least six people and the closure of schools in certain areas. The country has been experiencing strong monsoon rains for over a week, leading to the flooding of houses, fields, and roads. In the capital, Colombo, a moving bus was struck by a large tree, killing five individuals and injuring five others. A spokesperson for the main hospital in Colombo, Dr. Rukshan Bellana, provided this information.
In addition to these incidents, a person in the Galle district, located approximately 130 kilometers south of Colombo, died when a rock fell on their house during a mudslide. The state-run Disaster Management Center reported that the floods and mudslides caused extensive damage to hundreds of houses across 12 districts and affected more than 50,000 individuals. Of those affected, 1,473 families have been moved to temporary shelters. Among the heavily affected areas, Matara, a coastal district, experienced continuous flooding for over a week. Consequently, schools in Matara were closed on Friday as a precautionary measure due to the floods and the potential risk of landslides. The author of this news article is Bharatha Mallawarachi.