A local official said that the torrential downpours, which claimed the lives of 16 people, started to ease on Wednesday.
However, more than 175,000 families remain homeless as a number of towns across the island nation struggle against floods.
The government has mobilized more than a hundred personnel from the Navy to distribute relief goods and to help police search for 14 missing people.
According to Lal Kumara, a spokesman for the Disaster Management Center, it has been estimated that about 146 houses were destroyed while 805 others were partially damaged.
A number of roads were also blocked by landslides and fallen trees, prompting police and army personnel to work throughout the day to clear them. Train services were also suspended in some parts of the island.
Kumara added that 175,886 families that have been displaced by the landslides are currently staying in 40 camps.
The torrential downpours are expected to last until the end of the week, but the monsoon season typically lasts until late January.
The former war-torn eastern province is reported to be particularly hard hit with over 15,000 acres of paddy under water.
Ironically the flood in key agricultural regions comes after Sri Lanka suffered for over three months earlier in the year due to drought.
Wednesday 19 December 2012
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.asp?id=114621
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