Deaths from Sri Lanka floods and mudslides rises to 123

The death toll from the severe floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka has risen to 123, and 130 people are still missing.

About 44,000 people were displaced and in temporary shelters, the South Asian country’s disaster management center said on Saturday.

The death toll is expected to rise. Social media posts showed many areas affected by overnight landslides that authorities have yet to reach.

Sri Lanka has been hit by severe weather conditions since last week and conditions worsened further on Thursday; Heavy downpours flooded homes, fields and roads and triggered landslides in the central mountainous region, where mostly tea is grown.

The government closed schools and offices and postponed exams.

Many reservoirs and rivers overflowed, blocking roads.

Authorities stopped passenger trains and closed roads in many parts of the country after rocks, mud and trees fell on roads and railway tracks.

On Friday, water flowing down from severely affected areas began inundating areas around the capital Colombo, which receives relatively little rainfall.

Officials say Ditwah, which has developed in the seas east of Sri Lanka, will most likely move towards the southern coast of India on Sunday.

While rain is expected in Sri Lanka on Saturday, the storm is also expected to affect the northern parts of the country.