Two killed, thousands homeless in Sri Lanka floods

September 20, 2000
Web posted at: 8:48 PM HKT (1248 GMT)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) -- At least two children were killed and thousands of people left homeless after torrential rains swept southern Sri Lanka, officials said on Wednesday.

They said the two children had drowned in Matara district, some 120 km (75 miles) southeast of the capital Colombo, as rivers overflowed their banks due to heavy monsoon rains.

"Some 7,800 families in the Galle district and 5,000 families in Matara have been affected and are being cared for at several divisional secretariats," N. Pathirana, director at the Social Service Department, told Reuters by telephone.

The Automobile Association of Sri Lanka reported several roads impassable in the affected areas.

With water levels rising, schools were closed and offices opened late.

But officials said the main rice crop in flooded areas was not affected as harvesting had been completed before the rains arrived.

Meteorology department officials said the rains were expected to ease over the coming days.

On Tuesday the department had forecast occasional showers for the island's southern provinces.

Sri Lanka, which produces some 1.09 million tonnes of rice, harvests over two seasons - Maha, which runs through October to April, and the Yala, from April to July.

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