1.1 million affected by floods, landslides and high winds, Sri Lanka

An estimated 1.1 million people were affected by torrential rainfall, widespread floods, landslides, mudslides and high winds since December 19, 2014, the Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka said today. 

Over 6 400 houses are reportedly fully destroyed and an estimated 18 537 houses are partially damaged. 

There were 39 deaths, with 20 people injured and 2 people still missing, UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

With the flood situation being gradually normalized, people living in safety centers or with host families have begun to return home.

The government announced they have decided to pay compensation for damaged crops and to provide funds for farmers affected by the floods to overcome difficulties and meet their requirements. The Ministry of Agriculture will also provide enough seeds for farmers for the next cultivation season.

Currently, the possibility for rain is very low. However, there will be few showers in the Eastern and Uva provinces and isolated thundershowers in the Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces during the afternoon or evening, the Department of Meteorology said.

Between November 2010 and February 2011, a series of outbreaks of extreme rain unleashed flooding that ultimately killed at least 43 people, while adversely affecting more than 1 million others.

Heavy rains that battered Sri Lanka during December 2012 and January 2013, caused floods and landslides, which killed 36 people and affected over 300 000. As of December 21, 2012 over 56 000 people were sheltered in 171 evacuation centers; almost 1 500 houses were destroyed and more than 4 800 damaged.