Landslides, floods in Sri Lanka leave at least 91 dead

: Floods and landslides in Sri Lanka have killed at least 91 people while more than 100 are missing after torrential rain, officials said on Friday, as soldiers fanned out in boats and in helicopters to help with rescue operations.

The early rainy season downpours have forced hundreds of people from their homes across the Indian Ocean island.

“There are at least five landslides reported in several places in Kalutara,” said police spokesman Priyantha Jayakody, referring to the worst-hit district on the island’s west coast.

“Rescue operations are still taking place.”

The disaster management center said 91 people had been killed and 110 were missing.

The center said 38 deaths were reported from Kalutara while 46 were reported from the central southern district of Ratnapura.

Military spokesman Roshan Senevirathne said about 400 military personnel had been deployed with boats and helicopters to help the police and civilian agencies.

Disaster management deputy minister Dunesh Kankanda said many people were on roofs and treetops calling for help.

The government has appealed for help in rescue and relief operations from the United Nations and from other countries, the foreign ministry said.

The government has advised people living near swollen rivers and hilly slopes prone to landslides to evacuate, as the heavy rains were expected to continue. Homes and roads have been inundated. Schools were closed in the province of Sabaragamuwa, about 90 km east of Colombo.

Aid groups, rescuers and other government workers were ordered to cancel any holidays and remain on alert for the next three days.

The wettest time of the year in Sri Lanka’s south is usually during the southern monsoon, from May to September. The island nation also receives heavy rains in the North West monsoonal season from November to February.

Sri Lankan meteorology officials said Thursday’s rains are the worst since 2003 and they expected more rain in the coming days as the South-west monsoon condition had established over the country.