Cyclone Ditwah: More than 355 dead, up to 366 others missing in Sri Lanka floods

Rescuers in Sri Lanka were scrambling on Monday to clear roads and deliver aid to more than half a million people hit by a cyclone last week, as the death toll climbed to 355, with 366 missing, official figures showed.

Cyclone Ditwah, packing strong winds and heavy rains, brought the island nation's worst floods in a decade when it struck on Friday, setting off landslides in the hilly central region. 

People salvaged belongings from flooded homes along the banks of the Kelani river near Colombo, the capital, Reuters visuals showed.

Officials said train and flight services resumed after being were disrupted last week, although schools stayed closed. 

Nearly 200,000 people have been moved to nearly 1,275 relief centres, mostly set up in schools, the Disaster Management Centre said.

Thousands of police, navy personnel and army troops are distributing food, clearing roads and moving trapped families to safety.

Those who have found refuge in relief centres include Mallika Kumari, whose home was quickly submerged up to the roof on Friday. She bundled her three children into a rented lorry with her husband and spent the night by the roadside.

Kumari and her 554 neighbours live alongside the Kelani River in Malwana, 20 km (12 miles) from Colombo, and face the worst flooding in a decade.

Rescue boats are transporting stranded families, including Kumari, who hoped to collect her children's clothes and school books from her home.

"I first heard about the flood warning on TV but we never expected the river to overflow so quickly. We just rushed out of the house without anything," Kumari told Reuters.

"We haven't even had breakfast. Two of my sons have caught the flu. I have to get them medication. I've brought a few garbage bags to collect their clothes."

In the rush, Kumari left behind her cat, which was later picked up by a navy boat and brought to dry land.

Homes under water and without power 

The flooding in Malwana and other low-lying areas near Colombo has left most homes under water and without power, authorities said.

Meteorological authorities have forecast continued rains over the weekend, raising fears of further flooding in already waterlogged regions.

Some residents opted to remain in the upper floors of partially submerged homes, protecting their belongings.

Local businesses, including pharmacies, supermarkets and fabric shops are inundated, heightening concerns over financial losses as shop owners worry about long-term recovery.

At the Dalugala Thakiya Mosque, volunteers prepared rice parcels with chicken and dhal curry for flood victims, aiming to increase capacity by Sunday.

"We are getting more requests for food because people who work daily jobs cannot find work and are running low on savings," said Risham Ahmed, one of the meal organisers.

"They are worried about how to piece their lives back together."

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