Rain triggers Sri Lanka mudslides

Al Jazeera
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At least 16 people have been killed in flash floods and mudslides in Sri Lanka, as monsoon rains have swamped parts the country.

The Disaster Management Centre said on Tuesday that more than 120,000 people have been forced from their homes and were living in camps. Many were staying in government buildings set up as makeshift lodgings.

The eastern and northeastern areas of the country have been worst hit, with vast areas of rice paddies destroyed.

The government has deployed the air force and navy to drop food and rescue stranded residents, mainly in the district of Batticaloa.

Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez, reporting from the capital Colombo, said sustained rains in recent days had hampered rescue efforts.

"Another problem has been the saturation on the ground, the very slow pace at which flood waters are receding," she said.

"In the future, livelihoods will be affected. Over 130,000 acres of paddy land have been washed away. Drinking water wells will also be affected, lots of them have been polluted and contaminated."

Sri Lanka depends on monsoon rains for irrigation and power generation, but the seasonal downpours frequently cause deaths and damage property in low-lying areas.

The island's two main monsoon seasons run from May to September and December to February.

© Al Jazeera