Offices and schools closed in Sri Lanka as the island nation grapples with floods and landslides

Government offices and schools were closed in Sri Lanka on Friday as the death toll from floods and landslides across the country rose to 56 and hundreds of homes were damaged.

The island nation began grappling with severe weather last week. Conditions severely worsened after heavy downpours on Thursday caused homes, fields and roads to become completely submerged and triggered landslides across the country.

More than 25 people were killed in landslides on Thursday in the central mountainous tea-growing regions of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, located around 300 kilometres east of the capital Colombo. A further 21 people were reported missing while over a dozen were injured, according to the government’s disaster management centre.

Many others died in landslides which struck different regions in the country.

As weather conditions progressively worsened, the government announced the closing of all government offices and schools on Friday.

Most rivers and reservoirs have overflowed due to heavy rains, flooding major roads and areas. Authorities suspended passenger trains and closed many roads across several parts of the island, after rocks, mud and trees fell on roads and railway tracks.

Local media outlets showed air force helicopters conducted search and rescue operations. An army aircraft was broadcast rescuing three people stranded on the roof of a house surrounded by floodwaters on Thursday.

The country’s navy and police were also mobilised to conduct rescue operations, using boats to transport trapped residents to safety.