At least seven people have died after heavy rain triggered landslides and flash flooding in Sri Lanka’s central hill country.
Disaster Management Centre spokesperson Pradeep Kodippili said five people were killed when landslides buried two homes in the central region.
He said two additional deaths were linked to flooding incidents.
Kodippili said the rain and flooding had damaged 129 homes and prompted the relocation of about 3,500 people to safer places.
Authorities deployed navy and army personnel to reach residents stranded by floodwaters.
Schools in the affected central hill districts were closed as hazardous weather continued.
Authorities said they would decide when to reopen schools after assessing weather conditions.
Tea-growing highland areas including Nuwara Eliya and Badulla are vulnerable to monsoon-season landslides because of their steep terrain.
The disruption comes as the country continues to recover from Cyclone Ditwah, which struck in November and was reported to have killed about 640 people and caused an estimated $4.1 billion in damage.
The number of people injured, the full extent of damage and the timing of school reopenings remain unclear.