Sri Lanka cleanup efforts hindered by heavy rains following deadly floods

Persistent heavy rainfall in Sri Lanka on Friday has slowed the recovery process after catastrophic flooding and landslides last week claimed almost 500 lives, officials reported. Southern regions of the island received up to 132 millimetres of rain over a 15-hour period ending Thursday night.

Although the downpours were intense, authorities noted that the extensive flooding seen since last week was gradually easing. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirmed that 486 people had died, while 341 remain missing following Cyclone Ditwahs passage on Saturday.

The number of residents in government-run shelters has fallen from 225,000 at the flood's peak to 170,000, as waters receded around Colombo. Record rainfall had caused deadly landslides, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake calling it the most severe natural disaster in the countrys history.

Residents evacuated from landslide-prone central hill areas have been advised not to return home immediately, as the slopes remain unstable. In Gampola, central Sri Lanka, locals are working to remove mud and repair water damage.

Volunteers from other regions are assisting in the clean-up, said Muslim cleric Faleeldeen Qadiri at the Gate Jumma Mosque. One volunteer, Rinas, noted, It takes ten men a full day to clean a single house. It is impossible to manage without help.

Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Commissioner-General of Essential Services, explained that authorities are paying 25,000 rupees ($83) per home for cleaning, while reconstruction costs could reach $6-7 billion. An additional 2.5 million rupees ($8,300) is provided to begin rebuilding completely destroyed homes. Over 50,000 houses have been damaged so far.

Chandrakeerthi also stated that nearly 75% of the countrys electricity had been restored, although some areas in the Central Province remain without power and telephone service.

President Dissanayake declared a state of emergency on Saturday and pledged to lead rebuilding efforts with international assistance.

Author: Gavin Porter