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The death toll from massive floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditvaah in Sri Lanka has risen to 123, while 130 people are still missing, officials said on Saturday.
The South Asian country’s disaster management center said about 44,000 people have been displaced and are in temporary shelters.
The death toll is expected to increase. Social media posts on Saturday showed several areas affected by landslides overnight, where authorities have not yet reached.
Sri Lanka has been hit by severe weather since last week and the situation worsened on Thursday, with heavy rains that flooded homes, farms and roads and caused landslides in the central hilly country, mainly a tea-growing country.
The government closed schools and offices and postponed examinations.
Most reservoirs and rivers are in spate, blocking roads. Authorities halted passenger trains and closed roads in several parts of the country after rocks, mud and trees fell on roads and railway tracks.
By Friday, water flowing downstream from severely affected areas began flooding areas around the capital, ColomboWhere there was comparatively less rainfall.
Officials say Ditvaha, which has developed in the sea east of Sri Lanka, is likely to move towards IndiaSouth coast until Sunday. Rain is expected in Sri Lanka on Saturday, with the storm expected to pass through northern parts of the country.