Flash floods, mudslides and falling trees have killed at least 14 people in Sri Lanka as the island nation is battered by monsoon storms.
Some drowned, including three members of the same family swept away near the capital Colombo today.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) stated that others were buried alive in mudslides, including an 11-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man.
The DMC also said that nine other people were crushed and killed when trees fell on them in seven districts since the monsoon intensified on May 21.
While Sri Lanka depends on the seasonal monsoon rain for irrigation as well as hydroelectricity, experts have warned that it faces more frequent floods as the world heats die to climate change.
Flights arriving at Colombo’s main international airport were diverted to a smaller airport, and some key highways were flooded at several exits.
The government also ordered all schools to remain shut on Monday after the weekend holiday, as more rain was forecast.
