At least 193 people have been confirmed dead across Sri Lanka, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, as authorities continue to battle rising floodwaters in parts of the capital after a powerful cyclone left a trail of destruction.
More heavy rains from Cyclone Ditwa are expected across the island nation in the coming days, the Disaster Management Center (DMC) said on Sunday, adding that more than 220 people were still missing.
Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror newspaper reported on Sunday that five navy personnel were among the missing, last seen trying to shut off flooding at a naval substation in the Chalay lagoon in the country’s northeast.
According to the newspaper, about 15,000 homes have been destroyed across the country due to the extreme weather, and about 44,000 people have been sent to state-run temporary evacuation centers.