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.
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."
Iran's top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has said that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to ships again, citing a...
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency, authorising the military to clear roadblocks that have paralysed the economy for 50 ...
ISIS has claimed responsibility for killing two Syrian soldiers in the northern provine of Aleppo, in a statement on the group's Telegram channel. ...
A 46-year-old Italian tourist has died after a major fire tore through a beachfront hotel in the Dominican Republic, forcing the evacuation of nearly ...
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned of an impending massive Russian attack on Ukraine. It comes days after Kyiv carried out a major aeri...
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency, authorising the military to clear roadblocks that have paralysed the economy for 50 days and left at least 14 people dead.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for killing two Syrian soldiers in the northern provine of Aleppo, in a statement on the group's Telegram channel.
A 46-year-old Italian tourist has died after a major fire tore through a beachfront hotel in the Dominican Republic, forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests and staff.
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned of an impending massive Russian attack on Ukraine. It comes days after Kyiv carried out a major aeriel assault on Russia, including striking an oil refinery just 16km (10 miles) from the Kremlin in Moscow, sparking a major fire and killing four.
A train driver has been killed and nine people remain in a critical condition in hospital, after two trains collided near Beford in the east of England on Friday. The passenger trains heading to London collided at around 17:15 local time (1615 GMT).
Morocco captain and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after an appeals court ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for veteran forward Miguel Almirón.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck southwest of Greece’s island of Crete on Saturday, with no immediate reports of damage.
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, a senior U.S. official has said. Hezbollah has released a statement saying Israel must leave southern Lebanon. Israel has said it agrees to the ceasefire, but has said its armed forces won't leave Lebanon and will resume hostilities if attacked.
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned of an impending massive Russian attack on Ukraine. It comes days after Kyiv carried out a major aeriel assault on Russia, including striking an oil refinery just 16km (10 miles) from the Kremlin in Moscow, sparking a major fire and killing four.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency, authorising the military to clear roadblocks that have paralysed the economy for 50 days and left at least 14 people dead.
A 46-year-old Italian tourist has died after a major fire tore through a beachfront hotel in the Dominican Republic, forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,700 guests and staff.
The wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez must stand trial on corruption charges and has been banned from leaving the country, a judge has ruled.
A train driver has been killed and nine people remain in a critical condition in hospital, after two trains collided near Beford in the east of England on Friday. The passenger trains heading to London collided at around 17:15 local time (1615 GMT).
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment