Sri Lanka closes some schools as heavy rains trigger floods and mudslides, killing 5

Local television channel Hiru TV showed troops and civilians rescuing people trapped in their homes because of the floods and facing the risk of being buried by mudflows.

Local channels also showed huge rocks, mudslides and fallen electric posts on several main roads in the central region, blocking traffic in some parts of the area.

The latest disaster comes as the country is still trying to recover from the devastation in November caused by Cyclone Ditwa that killed nearly 640 people, affected two million people and caused an estimated US$4.1 billion in damage.

The Central Province was the hardest hit by that cyclone, and the government is struggling to rebuild roads, railways and houses in the region.

Mudslides and floods are among the most destructive natural disasters, causing severe damage to lives and property in Sri Lanka every year. Heavy monsoon rains mostly trigger mudslides in the central hill region while flooding low-lying areas, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.