Five dead, 250,000 displaced in Sri Lankan floods

COLOMBO - At least five people were killed, five more were feared drowned and more than 250,000 displaced in Sri Lanka’s floods, which continued for the fifth consecutive day, officials said Friday.

Five were feared drowned in Trincomalee, 240 km northeast of the capital, when a navy boat involved in a rescue operation capsized due to floods.

The five confirmed deaths due to drowning have been reported since Wednesday.

The floods hit the north-central, northeast and eastern parts of the country, which were severely affected in similar floods a month ago, a Disaster Management Centre official said.

“We have have set up over 300 temporary camps to accommodate some of the displaced, but that’s not sufficient and we hope to set up more,” he said.

In the north-central district of Anuradhapura, a woman gave birth in a military helicopter while being transported to safety, air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said.

Rice and vegetable crops were badly affected by the heavy rains for the second time recently in these areas, leading to a rise in vegetable prices. Rice shortages were expected within the next few weeks.

During last month’s floods, 43 people were killed and over a million displaced.