The death toll from floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has risen to 193. The country’s Disaster Management Center (DMC) said on Sunday that more than 200 people are still missing and 108,000 people have been displaced and taken shelter in shelters.
The DMC said that more than 20,000 houses have been destroyed by the heavy rains. Although the cyclone has passed, large parts of the country are still without electricity and clean water. Road and rail connections have been disrupted, leaving many areas in the central region of the country completely isolated.
The highest number of deaths were reported in Kandy and Badulla, where rescue workers have yet to reach many remote areas. The government has ordered new evacuations in some areas as the Kelani River continues to rise rapidly.
A state of emergency has been declared across the country to deal with the situation. The government has sought international assistance and has also appealed to Sri Lankans abroad for financial assistance.
The cyclone hit eastern Sri Lanka with full force on Friday, but heavy rain had been falling for days. Such a severe disaster is unusual for the country, even though it is currently in the rainy season.
Authorities are considering this to be Sri Lanka’s worst weather disaster since the devastating floods of 2003.