Colombo: More bodies under mudslides on Sunday pulled out by rescuers and the death toll reached to 146 with 112 others go missing in Sri Lanka.
More rains are forecasted for Sunday and Monday, for now, the weather has cleared. Due to torrential rains of two days, over 100,000 have been displaced in the country’s western and southern regions.
Soldiers cleared road access to most of the affected areas while others were reachable by boat, said Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe, head of the search and rescue mission. People waded in knee-deep floodwaters to get to army trucks transporting relief supplies and taking away those waiting to be evacuated, reported DC.
The UN has said it is assisting in relief efforts in response to a government appeal. It also promised to donate water purification tablets, tents and other supplies for the displaced. India sent a shipload of goods while the United States and Pakistan also promised consignments of relief supplies.
Due to deforestation, in order to grow export crops such as rubber and tea, mudslides have become common in Sri Lanka. A huge landslide killed more than 100 people in central Sri Lanka last May.