Sri Lanka: Floods and Landslides - May 2024

Heavy rainfall, strong winds, thunderstorms and lightning continued to affect most of Sri Lanka since 10 May. The affected provinces are: Sabaragamuwa, Northern, Western, Southern, North Western, Central, North Central, Uva and Eastern. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reports, as of 23 May, four fatalities, ten injured people, nearly 1,000 damaged houses and a total of approximately 34,000 affected people across 18 districts throughout the aforementioned nine affected provinces. (ECHO, 23 May 2024)

Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms have been affecting almost 24 districts of Sri Lanka since 15 May, resulting in casualties and damage. The National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC) report, as of 29 May, ten fatalities, of whom four in Puttalam, two in Galle, two in Ratnapura, one in Batulla and one in Nuwara Eliya districts in western and southern Sri Lanka. Three people are still missing, 26 have been injured, and a total of 66,787 people have been affected by severe weather. In addition, 37 houses have been destroyed and 5,556 have been partially damaged. (ECHO, 30 May 2024)

Sri Lanka faces severe floods following heavy rains since Sunday, 2 June. Over 159,000 people are affected cross 13 districts. Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Matara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, and Galle are the worst hit areas. The floods have caused at least 17 deaths and five people to be missing. Over 23,700 people are displaced in 119 shelters. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with boats deployed to Gampaha. The government is coordinating relief efforts. Flood alerts are in place for Colombo and other areas. (ECHO, 4 Jun 2024)

Heavy rainfall, strong winds, thunderstorms and lightning, due to the onset of the Southwest Monsoon, continued to affect most of Sri Lanka since 1 June. The affected provinces are: Sabaragamuwa, Northen, Western, Southern, North Western and Central. Media report, as of 5 June, 26 fatalities and 41 injured people across the affected area. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) also reports, as of 4 June, one person still missing, more than 8,200 evacuated people in 123 shelters, nearly 3,400 damaged houses and a total of approximately 161,300 affected people across 13 district throughout the aforementioned six affected provinces. (ECHO, 5 Jun 2024)

According to the National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC), as of 6 June, 30 people died - seven in Ratanapura, six in Matara, and six others in Dalle District - three are still missing and 44 have been injured. Moreover, 281,144 people have been affected and more than 10,000 houses have been damaged. (ECHO, 6 Jun 2024)

Heavy rain and strong winds brought by the south-west monsoon are still impacting most parts of Sri Lanka, causing floods, landslides and severe weather-related incidents that resulted in an increasing number of casualties and damage. The National Disaster Relief Service Centre (NDRRSC) recorded, as of 6 June, 33 fatalities, seven of which in Ratnapura district, another seven in Galle district, and six in Matara district. Moreover, three people are still missing, 47 others have been injured, almost 5,000 have been evacuated in 98 evacuation centres and more than 200,000 have been affected across 23 districts across the country. (ECHO, 11 Jun 2024)

The humanitarian impact is still increasing in Sri Lanka following heavy rain and strong winds brought by the south-west monsoon since mid-May. This severe weather event is causing floods, landslides and severe weather-related incidents that resulted in casualties and damage. According to the National Disaster Relief Service Centre (NDRRSC), as of 11 June, 37 people died in ten Districts, most of them in Ratapura, Galle and Matara. Moreover, three people are still missing, 48 others have been injured, more than 8,000 have been evacuated in 122 evacuation centres and more than 235,854 have been affected across 23 districts. Furthermore, more than 16,000 houses have been damaged. (ECHO, 12 Jun 2024)