Sri Lanka closes some schools as heavy rains trigger floods and mudslides, killing 5

Sri Lanka has closed schools in its central, mountainous tea-growing regions as torrential rains trigger severe floods and mudslides. The downpours over the past two days have wreaked havoc across the island nation, inundating homes, fields, and roads.

Officials reported on Tuesday that the extreme weather has claimed five lives, with mudslides burying two houses in the central region. Three people were injured, and two remain missing. The Disaster Management Centre stated that the mountainous areas are the worst affected, with 129 houses damaged and nearly 2,000 people evacuated. Navy and army troops are engaged in rescue operations.

This latest disaster strikes as Sri Lanka is still grappling with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa in November. That cyclone devastated the country, killing nearly 640 people, affecting two million, and causing an estimated $4.1 billion in damage. The Central Province, the hardest-hit area by the cyclone, is still undergoing reconstruction efforts for its infrastructure.

Mudslides and floods are recurring destructive natural disasters in Sri Lanka, particularly during the monsoon season. Heavy rains in the central hills frequently cause mudslides, while low-lying areas face extensive flooding, forcing thousands to evacuate annually.

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Five people have died after being buried in mudslides that overran two houses in the central region, while three others were wounded and two people have gone missing.