Residents wade through a flooded street after heavy rains on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 3, 2024. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)
COLOMBO, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said Monday that 12 people have been killed and over 87,000 people affected by the recent floods in the South Asian country.
The official told a press conference that Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle and Matara districts in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces are the most affected.
A total of 12 deaths have been reported, including four in Matara, five in Ratnapura, and three in Colombo, Tennakoon said, adding that five people are reported missing.
Residents wade through a flooded street after heavy rains on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 3, 2024. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)
There are 119 evacuation and relief centers currently housing over 23,700 people affected by floods, he said.
The Department of Meteorology said on Monday that showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and North Western provinces. ■