Rains pound Sri Lanka; 8 killed, thousands marooned

Colombo: Eight persons were killed and thousands of others displaced by flash floods triggered by incessant rains in Sri Lanka, officials said on Sunday.

"We have recorded eight deaths due to torrential rain over the last five days," Lal Sarath Kumara, the assistant director of Disaster Management Centre said.

The deaths were caused by lightning and drowning, he said.

Districts in the central south and south eastern Sri Lanka have been hit by the heavy downpour, with Matara district being the worst affected, officials said.

Several roads in the central hill districts remain impassable due to the Earth slips caused by heavy rainfall, they said.

PTI