At least three people have been killed in Amparai, and more than 40 across the island, as days of intense rainfall triggered severe flooding and landslides, prompting widespread transport closures and emergency rescue operations.
According to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the majority of the confirmed deaths occurred in the central highlands, with 25 fatalities reported from the tea-growing districts of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya. A further 21 people remain missing in the same region, where landslides have devastated several hillside communities. Ten others have been injured.
The island has been experiencing worsening weather conditions since last week, with heavy downpours intensifying over the weekend. Homes, fields and major roads have been inundated, and several reservoirs and rivers have overflowed, cutting off access to parts of the island.
In Amparai, three people were killed after their car was swept away by rapidly rising floodwaters. Footage captured the vehicle being carried off the road before capsizing in the current.
Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology has issued multiple warnings, including red alerts for heavy rainfall and strong winds across the island. Forecasts show Cyclonic Storm “Ditwah”, located southwest of Batticaloa, continuing to influence weather conditions with very heavy showers expected. Some northern, central and eastern districts are likely to receive more than 200 mm of rain, with gusts reaching up to 90 km/h.
Fishing and coastal communities have been instructed not to venture out to sea due to rough conditions and high swells reaching up to four metres.
This week’s death toll is the highest from weather-related events since June last year, when 26 people died in severe rains. Sri Lanka’s worst flooding this century occurred in June 2003, leaving 254 dead. Climate experts have repeatedly warned that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more destructive, raising urgent concerns for disaster management preparedness across the island.
Despite the severe weather, tens of thousands of Tamils ventured out of their homes to gather in public to mark Maaveerar Naal – or Great Heroes’ Day – earlier today.