Puttalam: Sri Lankan authorities have mobilised the military for large-scale relief and rescue operations as severe floods and landslides continue to batter the island nation. The death toll rose to 56 on Friday, while 21 people remained missing amid relentless rain sweeping across the country.
Helicopters, navy boats, and armoured personnel carriers were deployed to reach stranded villages, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. With rain showing no signs of easing, rescue teams struggled to access areas cut off by rising water and unstable slopes.
The entire island, spanning nearly 65,000 square kilometres, has record rainfall this week, with some regions receiving up to 360 millimetres in just 24 hours. Badulla district, in the central tea-growing highlands, was among the hardest-hit areas. Twenty-six people were buried in mudslides, adding to the mounting toll.
Twenty-one people were still unaccounted for, and at least 14 others were being treated in hospitals. The DMC said the heavy rains were driven by a cyclonic system named Ditwah, which is currently moving across the island’s eastern region. The system is forecast to track northwards toward India’s Tamil Nadu by Sunday, bringing more showers and strong winds.
Army Troops Extend Support to Relief Efforts Across the Island
Read more :- https://t.co/kPRhiXc2lI@AsianMirror @bbctamil @newsdotlk @NewsWireLK @SriLankaTweet @ThinakaranLK @thamilannews @SriLankaTweet pic.twitter.com/M8Sp8qQRO5— Sri Lanka Army (@Sri_Lanka_Army) November 28, 2025
Nearly 700 homes have been damaged so far, and close to 1,800 families have been moved into temporary shelters as a precaution. River levels are rising across several districts, prompting warnings for residents in low-lying areas to evacuate to higher ground without delay.
Sri Lanka is in the middle of its northeast monsoon season, but officials say the cyclone has dramatically intensified rainfall. In response, the government suspended final-year school examinations for two days and granted civil servants a day off to ensure safety. Parliament also paused its budget debate so lawmakers could return to their constituencies to assess the situation.
This week’s toll is the highest since June last year, when 26 people lost their lives in similar weather. In December, another 17 people were killed by floods and landslides. The deadliest flooding of this century occurred in June 2003, when 254 people were killed.
