Sri Lanka Hit By Worst Floods In Decades, Killing At Least 69: India Sends Urgent Aid (Image: X/SriLankaTweet)
Sri Lanka is struggling through one of its worst flood disasters in years, as troops race against time to rescue hundreds of people trapped by rapidly rising waters.
By Friday, the number of weather-related deaths had climbed to at least 69, while 34 people remained missing, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).
Rescue teams, using helicopters, inflatable crafts, and navy boats, have been working nonstop, pulling families from rooftops, treetops, and isolated villages submerged by floodwaters.
The central region has been hit the hardest, with many victims buried under mudslides triggered by continuous heavy rain.
Over the past 24 hours alone, some areas have received up to 360 millimetres of rain. The Kelani River, one of the country’s major waterways, burst its banks near Colombo, submerging homes and roads.
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In Kaduwela, just outside the capital, residents recalled the worst floods they had seen in decades.
Across the island, at least 3,000 homes have been damaged by floods and mudslides. More than 18,000 people have taken refuge in temporary shelters as the rains continue.
In Anuradhapura, a dramatic rescue unfolded when an Air Force Bell 212 helicopter airlifted a man who had climbed a coconut tree to escape the rising water.
The situation is expected to worsen. DMC officials warned that flood levels may rise beyond those of 2016, when 71 people were killed nationwide.
Cyclone Ditwah has intensified the northeast monsoon, bringing heavier rain and unstable weather. The cyclone is expected to move toward Tamil Nadu by Sunday.
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Amid the crisis, India has stepped in with emergency support. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced immediate assistance. “We stand ready to provide more aid and assistance as the situation evolves,” he said on X.
Early Saturday morning, an Indian Air Force C-130 aircraft landed in Colombo carrying essential food items and sanitary supplies. The materials were received by Indian High Commission officials and Sri Lanka Air Force officers at Bandaranaike International Airport.
India has also launched Operation Sagar Bandhu, sending relief materials via the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the frontline ship INS Udaigiri.
Local TV networks have also been broadcasting urgent calls for help. In one emotional phone appeal aired by Sirasa TV, a woman said, “We are six people, including a one-and-a-half-year-old child. If the water rises another five steps up the staircase, we will have nowhere to go.”
Dozens of stranded tourists were evacuated from tea-growing central regions to Colombo as conditions worsened.
Sri Lanka relies heavily on monsoon rains for irrigation and hydropower; however, experts have long warned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
This week’s toll is already the highest since last June, when 26 people were killed in severe rains.
(With inputs from agencies)
