Sri Lanka devastated by severe floods, state of emergency declared nationwide!

Sri Lanka has been devastated by severe floods caused by a week of heavy rains due to the impact of Cyclone Dittwa. The death toll in the floods has already risen to 132, with 176 more missing. The country's government declared a state of emergency nationwide on Saturday as the intensity of the disaster increased.

According to the French news agency AFP, many areas of Sri Lanka have been submerged under water due to heavy rains, landslides and rising river water. The Disaster Management Center (DMC) said that more than 15,000 houses have been destroyed in the floods and 78,000 people have been placed in shelters. Electricity, water and internet connections are cut off in about a third of the country.

After the emergency law was declared, the army, navy and air force have intensified rescue operations. In a 24-hour operation in Anuradhapura district, 69 bus passengers, including a German tourist, were rescued using helicopters and boats. People trapped in the water are spending the day on rooftops, where rescue teams are using ropes to pull them to safety.

Landslides have cut off road communication in Badulla, Kandy and other hilly areas in the central region. People in the affected villages say they are facing an acute shortage of food and clean water and are unable to leave their villages, while no one is able to enter.

The Sri Lankan government has issued a formal appeal for international assistance as the floods intensify. India has already sent two planes of relief supplies and an Indian warship on a visit to Colombo has donated its rations to the victims. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief and assured more assistance.

This is considered Sri Lanka's worst natural disaster since 2017. More than 200 people lost their lives in floods and landslides that year. The worst floods of this century were in 2003, when 254 people died.