Sri Lanka closes offices, schools as death toll from landslips and floods rises to 56

At least 56 persons were killed in landslides and incidents related to flooding after heavy rainfall in Sri Lanka, AFP reported on Friday.

While 21 were reported missing, 14 had been taken to hospitals.

Twenty-six of those dead were found buried in mudslides in Badulla district of the central region.

The authorities have deployed the military for relief and rescue operations as several villages in the country were submerged in flood water, the news agency quoted the Disaster Management Centre as saying.

The heavy rainfall was caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which was moving across Sri Lanka’s eastern region.