Sri Lanka closes offices and schools as death toll from landslides and floods rises to 56

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka closed government offices and schools on Friday as the death toll from floods and mudslides across the country rose to 56 and damaged more than 600 homes, officials said.

Sri Lanka started dealing with severe weather conditions Conditions were worsened last week by heavy downpours on Thursday that flooded homes, fields and roads and triggered landslides across the country.

More than 25 people were killed in landslides on Thursday in the central highland tea-growing regions of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of the capital Colombo. Another 21 people were missing and 14 others were injured in Badulla and Nuwara Eliya districts, according to the government’s disaster management centre.

Others died in landslides in different parts of the country.

As weather conditions worsened, the government announced the closure of all government offices and schools on Friday.

Due to heavy rains, most 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 and some areas were flooded.

Local television showed an air force helicopter rescuing three people trapped on the roof of a flooded house on Thursday, while the navy and police used boats to transport the residents.

Footage on Thursday also showed a car being swept away by floodwaters near the eastern town of Ampara, killing three passengers.