Heavy monsoon rain in Sri Lanka has left at least 12 people dead and more than 40,000 others displaced across the country.

Officials ordered the military to help those affected by the showers, believed to be upwards of 100,000 people so far.

The country's disaster management agency has issued alerts warning of the risk of landslides after days of heavy rain.

Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez, reporting from Kalutara in South-Western Sri Lanka, said the Sri Lankan navy was ferrying those in need to hospitals.

"We're hearing that waters are receding but here in Kalutara...what you see is not a lake, not a reservoir, not a sea, but what used to be paddy fields until the deluge of water over the past couple of days," our correspondent said.

Sri Lankan officials say the water levels are dropping but warn that more rain is on the way.

May is usually the wettest time of the year in southern and western parts of Sri Lanka, as the summer monsoon sets up across the island.

Last year, the rains in May and June were so heavy that 100 people were killed and hundreds of thousands of others had to seek temporary accommodations.</s>Colombo, May 24 (IANS) Three more deaths have taken the toll due to heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka to 13 and the number of people evacuated to over 50,000, according to the latest official figures released on Thursday.

The country’s Disaster Management Centre said that the number of evacuees rose from the 27,621 announced on Wednesday to 54,205, most of whom sought refuge in 251 shelters set up by the government.

The total number of people affected by the monsoon on the island since last week also climbed from the 84,943 announced a day earlier to 125,954 on Thursday, Efe news reported.

According to the weather forecast, the rains were expected to continue for the next three days so the Army deployed over 700 soldiers in emergency services while another 6,000 were on standby.

The southern and western parts of the country were the worst-affected, where 43 houses were destroyed and 3,225 were partially damaged.

Moreover, 143 critical infrastructures of the country were also damaged.

In June 2017, monsoon rains and cyclone Mora caused at least 212 deaths and 79 disappearances in the country.</s>COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Heavy rain and lightning strikes across Sri Lanka have left at least seven people dead and displaced more than 1,000, officials said Monday.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said lighting killed six people and a landslide killed another in different parts of the island.

The Disaster Management Center said 1,024 people were moved to 20 safe locations. Hundreds of army troops and police were deployed to carry out relief work and rescue operations as heavy rains caused flash floods in many parts of the country.

Sri Lanka has been experiencing heavy rains since Sunday, prompting the government to issue landslide warnings for five districts.

The meteorology department warned of thundershowers with strong winds over the next 24 hours and asked people to take precautions against lightning strikes.

Sri Lanka has suffered frequent natural calamities in recent years. More than 200 people were killed in mudslides and floods during monsoon rains last May.</s>The number of evacuees rose from 6,090 to 27,621 on Tuesday, according to the latest figures released by the country's Disaster Management Centre

The death toll in Sri Lanka's monsoon rains has climbed to 10 while 27,621 people have been evacuated, officials said on Wednesday.

The number of evacuees rose from 6,090 to 27,621 on Tuesday, according to the latest figures released by the country's Disaster Management Centre.

Refuge has been sought in 194 shelters set up by the government. There are 84,943 people affected by the monsoon in the island country since last week, Efe news reported.

The rains were expected to continue for at least another 24 hours. The southern and western parts of the country were worst-affected, where 29 houses had been destroyed and 2,527 were partially damaged.

In June 2017, monsoon rains and cyclone Mora caused at least 212 deaths and 79 disappearances in Sri Lanka.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.</s>The number of people evacuated due to recent heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka has passed 27,000, while the number of fatalities has climbed to 10, officials told EFE on Wednesday.

The number of evacuees rose from 6,090 on Tuesday to 27,621, according to the latest figures released by the country's Disaster Management Centre.</s>Sri Lanka is a lower middle-income country with an estimated total population of 21.2 million people. For decades the country was fraught with civil war, which ended in 2009. The civil war affected the national economy, foreign trade and investments, and the livelihoods of the Sri Lankan people. The end of the civil war in 2009 brought about legislative commitment to reconstruction and economic growth. This has allowed the economy to grow, an average of 6.2 percent annually. Since 2009, Sri Lanka has observed many elections and changes in leadership. Sri Lanka is still rebuilding as human rights grievances over war crimes and violations remain unsettled. The Government of Sri Lanka is concentrating on passing constitutional and economic reforms, advancing public financial administration, expanding public and private investments, addressing infrastructure restrictions, enhancing government effectiveness, and directing governmental service distribution.

Recently, Sri Lanka has been impacted by multiple natural disasters. Sri Lanka experienced a landslide in October 2014, and flooding in December 2014. Sri Lanka withstood the worst drought conditions witnessed in four decades in 2016; the extreme drought conditions extended into 2017 and produced substantial economic and social effects. The drought was responsible for an increase in national poverty levels, due to reduced cultivation income, especially for rural farmers. Estimates suggest over 500,000 families were affected by the drought conditions in 20 districts, forcing the Government of Sri Lanka to initiate relief programs. In May 2016, Sri Lanka was hit by a tropical storm that caused widespread flooding and subsequent landslides. One year later, in May 2017, Sri Lanka experienced continuous rains causing flash floods and extreme devastation. However, despite natural disasters and challenges posed by a complex political environment, Sri Lanka’s financial performance remained largely satisfactory in the first half of 2017. Sri Lanka has mainly remained an agricultural nation. Rice, tea, rubber, and coconut are significant cultivated crops in Sri Lanka. Cocoa and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, and cloves are notable crops.

Sri Lanka also produces fruit and vegetables, native to the region. In addition, Sri Lanka is a key exporter of precious and semi-precious stones. However, food insecurity has been increased among many communities in drought affected regions. Some regions in Sri Lanka have reached alarming levels of poor or borderline food consumption. The total amount of rice cultivated this year (2017) is less than half of that produced in 2016. In response, the government has been providing drinking water, relief packs of dry rations and other household items, and international assistance has included rice and cash assistance. The Sri Lankan economy is transitioning from rural-based industries to manufacturing and urban-based business. In September 2017, the Government of Sri Lanka introduced the Vision 2025 to advance democratic reforms, wide-ranging and equitable development, and to ensure good governance. The Government of Sri Lanka has focused on and made substantial advancements in human development. Current social markers rank amongst the highest in the South Asia region and compete favorably with other middle-income nations. National poverty has declined from 15.3 percent in 2007 to 6.7 percent in 2013. Sri Lanka’s economy is propelled by private expenditure and investments and is estimated to increase by 4.6 percent in 2017 and slightly exceed 5.0 percent in the mediumterm. The Government of Sri Lanka is dedicated to fulfill a reform plan intended at advancing competitiveness, governance, and public financial management which would realize long-term benefits.</s>The country's Disaster Management Centre said that the number of evacuees rose from the 27,621 announced on Wednesday to 54,205, most of whom sought refuge in 251 shelters set up by the government

Three more deaths have taken the toll due to heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka to 13 and the number of people evacuated to over 50,000, according to the latest official figures released on Thursday.

The country's Disaster Management Centre said that the number of evacuees rose from the 27,621 announced on Wednesday to 54,205, most of whom sought refuge in 251 shelters set up by the government.

The total number of people affected by the monsoon on the island since last week also climbed from the 84,943 announced a day earlier to 125,954 on Thursday, Efe news reported.

According to the weather forecast, the rains were expected to continue for the next three days so the Army deployed over 700 soldiers in emergency services while another 6,000 were on standby.

The southern and western parts of the country were the worst-affected, where 43 houses were destroyed and 3,225 were partially damaged.

Moreover, 143 critical infrastructures of the country were also damaged.

In June 2017, monsoon rains and cyclone Mora caused at least 212 deaths and 79 disappearances in the country.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.</s>Australian, UN to help Sri Lanka prepare to face natural disasters

The Australian Government, WFP and UNICEF have signed a 3-year partnership (2018-2020) with a funding of AUD750,000 (around 89 million Sri Lanka Rupees), to ensure stronger preparedness and faster, more integrated responses to natural disaster emergencies in Sri Lanka.

UNICEF said that 96 per cent of disasters in Sri Lanka are caused by climate, such as flooding, landslides, extreme winds and drought. Sri Lanka was ranked the fourth most climate change affected country in 2016 according to the Global Climate Risk Index, 2018.

The annual cycle of floods and drought is causing severe household economic and social stress in Sri Lanka. This cyclical pattern gradually decreases the coping strategies of families and the possibility to return to normalcy in the long run.

Simultaneously, heavy rainfall during the southwest monsoon period in 2016 and 2017 caused widespread floods and landslides in southern and western regions.

Over 500 people were killed (including 191 people still reported as ‘missing’ in official documents) and over 1.3 million people were affected during the two years. The high number of deaths is being attributed to inadequate emergency preparedness measures.

“The Australian Government has supported Sri Lanka in disaster management and emergency response since the 2004 tsunami. We are pleased to now join forces with two of the leading UN humanitarian partners in Sri Lanka to deliver a program with the dual focus of helping Sri Lanka be better prepared to handle natural disasters and respond to emergencies”, remarked Victoria Coakley, Head of Development Cooperation, Australian High Commission.

The project targets the most vulnerable districts which are adversely affected by recurrent disasters, particularly the annual monsoons, including Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Mullaitivu and Batticaloa.

“Investments to enhance emergency preparedness and response capacities are critical to mitigate the impact of shocks. In periods when emergency response is required, 25,000 severely affected people will receive assistance through UNICEF and WFP, with a main focus on children, adolescents and pregnant and lactating mothers. The assistance will include food security and nutrition, and child protection’, said Nguyen Duc Hoang, WFP Deputy Country Director.

“Children, particularly the most vulnerable children, are at the heart of UNICEF’s work in Sri Lanka. Initiatives such as this, are vital to help build resilience and reduce the impact of disasters on the lives of the most vulnerable children and their families”, said Tim Sutton, UNICEF Representative.</s>Three new deaths in the last few hours have taken the death toll due to recent heavy monsoon rains in Sri Lanka to 13 and the number of people evacuated to over 50,000, according to the latest official figures released on Thursday.

The country's Disaster Management Centre said that the number of evacuees rose from the 27,621, announced on Wednesday, to 54,205, most of whom have sought refuge in 251 shelters set up by the government.</s>Sri Lanka batsman Dhananjaya de Silva will not travel with the team for their West Indies tour following his father's killing, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Friday.

REUTERS: Sri Lanka batsman Dhananjaya de Silva will not travel with the team for their West Indies tour following his father's killing, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Friday.

Sri Lankan media reported local politician Ranjan De Silva, 62, was killed by an unidentified gunman on Thursday, just a day before his son was to depart to the Caribbean for the three-test tour starting June 6.

"We are extremely shocked, perturbed and saddened by the great loss suffered by Dhananjaya and his family," SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said in a statement.

"Sri Lanka Cricket will take every measure to support Dhananjaya at this time of sorrow and grief for him and his family, while giving him time to overcome the great pain and suffering caused by this tragedy."

The first of three tests against the West Indies begins at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain.
Monsoon rains kill 12 people in Sri Lanka.