COLOMBO, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Sri Lanka's heavy rains rose to 8 on Thursday, while over 15,000 people were affected, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) said.
Over 1,000 people were evacuated to safer shelters while over 270 houses were fully or partially damaged from days of heavy rains and strong winds.
A landslide warning also remains in effect in several areas including Ratnapura in south central Sri Lanka and Kegalle in the west central part of the country, and families residing in landslide prone areas have been moved to safer shelters.
Several roads were inundated across the island including the capital Colombo after heavy rains late Wednesday and military forces have been deployed on ground to provide assistance and take part in search and rescue missions, the DMC said.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday instructed officials to take immediate action to ensure the safety and welfare of the people affected by floods and landslides, and asked all ministry officials and local government agents to coordinate with the Ministry of Defense and the DMC to be prepared for rapid response in the event of floods, landslides and rock falls due to heavy rainfall.
More rains of over 100 mm are expected in several parts of Sri Lanka in the coming days due to a low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of the island country, the Meteorology Department said in its latest weather report.
The department has also warned the public to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by strong winds and lightning.
