MALWANA, Sri Lanka: Landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah killed at least 334 people in Sri Lanka, with nearly 400 missing and more than 1.3 million affected nationwide, officials said over the weekend.
Some 800 relief centers, mostly set up in schools, are teeming with more than 108,000 people, and nearly 20,000 homes have been destroyed, the Disaster Management Centre said.
Thousands of police, navy personnel, and army troops from Sri Lanka are distributing food, clearing roads, and moving trapped families to safety.
Mallika Kumari had bundled her three children into a rented lorry with her husband and spent the night by the roadside before finding refuge in a relief center after her home was submerged up to the roof on November 28.
Kumari and her neighbours lived alongside the Kelani River in Malwana, 12 miles from Colombo, and faced the worst flooding in a decade.
Rescue boats began transporting stranded families, including Kumari, who hoped to collect her children's clothes and school books from her home.
Authorities said the flooding in Malwana and other low-lying areas near Colombo has left most homes underwater and without power.
Meteorological officials have warned that rains will continue through the weekend, sparking concerns about more flooding in areas already heavily waterlogged.
Some residents have chosen to stay on the upper floors of their partially submerged homes to safeguard their possessions.
Local businesses — including pharmacies, supermarkets, and fabric stores — are underwater, deepening worries about financial losses as owners fear a slow recovery.
At the Dalugala Thakiya Mosque, volunteers prepared rice parcels with chicken and dhal curry for those affected, hoping to scale up distribution.
"We're receiving more requests for meals because people who rely on daily wages have lost work and are running out of savings," said Risham Ahmed, one of the organisers.
"They're anxious about how to rebuild their lives."
Meanwhile, India, Sri Lanka's northern neighbor, has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission to help the country.
Two Indian Air Force aircraft carrying about 21 tonnes of aid — including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits and ready-to-eat food — arrived in Colombo on November 29. India also deployed naval assets, including its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, for relief and rescue operations.
