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Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Saturday (November 29) and appealed for international assistance as the death toll from heavy rains and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah rose to 132, with a further 176 people reported missing. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invoked emergency laws, granting him wide powers to respond to the devastation following a week of torrential rain across the island. “We have 132 confirmed dead and another 176 missing,” DMC Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda said, adding that relief efforts had been strengthened with the deployment of the army, navy and air force. Nearly 78,000 people have been displaced and are in temporary shelters, the South Asian country's disaster management center said. Read more: Over 20 killed, 14 missing as intense rainfall sparks landslides and flooding in Sri Lanka The death toll is expected to rise. Social media posts on Saturday showed several areas affected by overnight mudslides that authorities have yet to reach. Sri Lanka has been battered by severe weather since last week. Conditions worsened Thursday, with heavy downpours that flooded homes, fields and roads and triggered landslides mainly in the tea-growing central hill country. The government closed schools and offices and postponed examinations. Most reservoirs and rivers have overflowed, blocking roads. Authorities stopped passenger trains and closed roads in many parts of the country after rocks, mud and trees fell on roads and railway tracks. By Friday, water flowing downstream from severely affected areas began to inundate areas around the capital, Colombo, which experienced comparatively less rainfall. Authorities say that Ditwah, which developed in the seas east of Sri Lanka, is likely to move toward India's southern coast by Sunday. Read more: Sri Lanka shuts schools, offices as floods and landslides kill 56 Neighboring India dispatched two search and rescue teams, comprising 80 rescuers, and sent aid to support ongoing operations, the country's embassy in Colombo said Saturday. With inputs from agencies.

Sri Lanka closed government offices and schools Friday (November 28) as the death toll from widespread floods and landslides climbed to 56, with over 600 homes reported damaged, officials said. The country has been facing severe weather since last week, which intensified Thursday (November 27) with heavy rainfall that submerged homes, farmland, and roads, and triggered landslides nationwide. At least 25 people were killed Thursday in landslides in the central mountainous tea-growing districts of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, roughly 300 kilometers east of the capital Colombo. In these areas, another 21 people are missing and 14 were injured, according to the government’s disaster management center. Additional fatalities occurred in landslides elsewhere in the country. As conditions worsened, the government ordered all schools and government offices to remain closed Friday. Read more: Over 20 killed, 14 missing as intense rainfall sparks landslides and flooding in Sri Lanka Overflowing rivers and reservoirs have blocked many roads, forcing authorities to suspend passenger train services and close roadways in several regions. Landslides and floodwaters, along with fallen rocks, mud, and trees, disrupted both roads and railway lines. Local television footage showed an air force helicopter rescuing three people stranded on a flooded rooftop Thursday, while the navy and police used boats to evacuate residents. Another video showed a car swept away by floodwaters near the eastern town of Ampara, killing three passengers.

More than 20 people have died and 14 others are missing after days of heavy rain triggered landslides and flooding across Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan authorities have suspended passenger train services and shut down several roads as severe rainfall continues to unleash deadly landslides and floods, officials reported Thursday (November 27). According to the government’s disaster management center, 18 of the confirmed deaths were in the central highland districts of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, well-known tea plantation areas located about 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of Colombo. Read more: Over 220 dead as floods and landslides devastate Northwest Pakistan The center also stated that 14 people remained unaccounted for Thursday following landslides in the same region. Since last week—when the country first began experiencing the intense weather—the overall death toll has climbed to 31. Torrential rains over the weekend inundated roads, farmland, and homes, causing widespread disruption. Train services in some mountainous areas were halted after landslides sent rocks, mud, and fallen trees onto rail lines. Local television footage showed crews working to clear the debris. Several roads were also closed because of deep flooding. Roughly 4,000 families have been affected by the severe weather, officials said. Read more: Tidal waters inundate low-lying areas as embankment collapses in Khulna

At least 21 people were killed and 30 others went missing after a massive landslide hit Kenya’s western Rift Valley region on Saturday, following days of heavy rainfall during the country’s short rains season. The disaster struck the hilly area of Chesongoch in Elgeyo Marakwet County, destroying more than 1,000 homes and cutting off several roads. Authorities said 30 people with serious injuries were airlifted to a hospital in Eldoret City for treatment. Local resident Stephen Kittony told Citizen Television that he heard a loud rumble before fleeing his home with his children, each running in different directions to escape. Landslides, floods cut off 300 Mexican communities; dozens dead and missing Rescue operations continued through Saturday despite the ongoing rains, as emergency teams searched through the mud and debris for those still missing. Chesongoch, known for its steep terrain, has experienced similar tragedies before — deadly landslides in 2010 and 2012 claimed dozens of lives, and floods in 2020 swept away a local shopping center. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the government is working to relocate affected families to safer ground. Source: AP  Read more: Thunderstorm Lightning in Bangladesh: Causes, Risks, and Safety Tips

A significant number of people who sought refuge in shelters due to the devastating floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Bandarban have now returned to their homes, District Commissioner Shah Mujahid Uddin has said. During a press briefing held on Friday (August 11, 2023) afternoon, he outlined the overall situation in the district, elaborating on the extent of the destruction caused by the recent torrential rains and floods. The calamity has left a trail of destruction, displacing families and causing substantial damage to infrastructure. Read more Flood situation improves in Bandarban Currently, around 340 individuals remain in various shelters across the district as they grapple with the aftermath of the disaster. The impact has been dire, with 15,800 families stranded by flooding, and a staggering 15,600 houses being severely damaged, he said.  Quoting the Agriculture Department, the District Commissioner said that the agricultural sector has been hit hard, with 8,253 hectares of cropland succumbing to the deluge.  He also reported 10 deaths resulting from the flood and landslides.  Read more Woman, daughter among 3 killed in Bandarban landslides Furthermore, road connections to Thanchi and Ruma upazilas remain severed due to the relentless downpour. The Department of Public Health Engineering has taken steps for rehabilitation by setting up two mobile water purification units, he said. Already, 2 lakh litres of water have been distributed through this initiative. The Bangladesh Army has also joined the relief efforts, distributing an additional 53,800 litres of drinking water,  he said.  Additionally, 850 families have received essential dry food provisions, while 962 individuals have been given vital medical care and medications.  Read more Army deployed to tackle flood, landslides in Ctg, Bandarban

As torrential rains for the last couple of days have triggered the risk of landslide, the Rangamati district administration has asked the residents living in the hill slopes to evacuate their homes.Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Khan issued the directive and visited the areas in the foothills in the district town on Friday afternoon.Residents in Shimultoli, Rupnagar, Loknath Temple and Bhedbhedi Muslim Para areas in the district town were asked to move to shelters through loudspeaker.Already the local administration has opened 19 shelter centres in nine wards of Rangamati town. Flooding and a landslide in eastern China leave 5 dead and 3 missing“There is a risk of landslides in the district due to the torrential rainfall for the last several days and that’s why the local administration asked the residents to take shelter in safer places,” said DC Mosharraf. Indian rescuers recover 27 dead but no sign of dozens of missing villagers swamped by a landslideAll steps have been taken at the shelter centres, he said. Bangladesh Meteorological Department recorded 77 mm of rains in Rangamati in 24 hours till 6am on Satruday.Landslide triggered by heavy rains kills 10 and traps many others in western India    

A landslide struck a rural district in China's southwestern Sichuan province on Sunday morning, killing 14 people and leaving five others missing, authorities said. The mountainous region has seen rainfall lasting weeks, saturating the top soil. More than 180 people were mobilized to help find those buried under the debris in Sichuan's Leshan county, with the search ongoing into the afternoon, the Communist Party committee of Jinhouke district said on its social media account. With its humid, rainy climate, southwestern China is prone to landslides, especially in areas where there has been large-scale shifting of land due to farming, deforestation or engineering projects.

Rescuers on Saturday found the bodies of a woman and two children, raising the death toll from a landslide on an unlicensed campground in Malaysia to 24 with nine others still missing. Selangor state fire chief Norazam Khamis told reporters the bodies of a mother and son were found buried under a meter (3 feet) of mud and debris. The body of a little girl was discovered later. He said there was hope of finding survivors if they clung on to piles or branches or rocks with pockets of air but that chances were slim. Read more: Landslide at Malaysia campground leaves 16 dead, 17 missing Authorities said 94 people were sleeping at the camp site on an organic farm early Friday when the dirt tumbled from a road about 30 meters (100 feet) above them and covered about 1 hectare (3 acres). Most were families enjoying a short vacation during the yearend school break. The 24 victims included seven children and 13 women. Authorities were still carrying out autopsies and waiting for next of kin to identify the victims. A mother and her toddler daughter were found Friday hugging each other in a heart-rending scene, rescuers said. Seven people were hospitalized and dozens more, including three Singaporeans, were rescued unharmed. Read more: 1 dead, up to 12 missing in landslide on Italian island Wearing helmets and carrying shovels and other equipment, rescuers worked in teams Saturday to comb through debris as deep as 8 meters (26 feet). Excavators were deployed to clear mud and fallen trees and rescue dogs were sent to sniff out possible signs of life and cadavers. Officials said an estimated 450,000 cubic meters (nearly 16 million cubic feet) of debris — enough to fill 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools — hit the campsite. Norazam said rescuers were treading carefully as underground water streams may trigger further landslides. Authorities have said the landowners did not have a license to run a campground. Officials are unable to pinpoint the exact cause of the landslide, which came without warning, but believed it could be due to underground water movement while the yearend monsoon rains made the soil unstable. Survivors recounting their ordeal told local media they heard a thunderous noise and felt the earth move before soil collapsed on their tents. The government has ordered all campsites nationwide that are near rivers, waterfalls and hillsides to be shut for a week to assess their safety. The campsite in Batang Kali, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur, is a popular recreational site for locals to pitch or rent tents from the farm. But authorities said it has been running illegally for the past two years. It has permission to run the farm but no license to operate camping activities. If found guilty, the operator faces up to three years in prison and a fine.

A thunderous crush of soil and debris killed 21 people at a campground in Malaysia on Friday, and rescuers dug through the mud in the night for another 12 who were feared buried in the landslide. More than 90 people were sleeping on an organic farm when the dirt tumbled from a road about 30 meters (100 feet) above the site and covered about 1 hectare (3 acres). Two of the dead were found locked in an embrace, according to the state fire department chief. Authorities told local media that the landowners did not have a license to run a campground. At least seven people were hospitalized and dozens more were rescued unharmed, said district police chief Suffian Abdullah. Leong Jim Meng told the New Straits Times English-language daily that he and his family were awakened by a loud bang and felt the earth move at the campsite in Batang Kali, around 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the capital of Kuala Lumpur. “My family and I were trapped as soil covered our tent. We managed to escape to a carpark area and heard a second landslide happening,” the 57-year-old was quoted as saying. He said it was surprising because there was no heavy rain in recent days, only light drizzles. Also read: Landslide kills four of a family in Cox's Bazar's Ramu It is currently the season for monsoon rains in Malaysia, and the country's government development minister, Nga Kor Ming, said all campsites nationwide that are near rivers, waterfalls and hillsides would be closed for a week to assess their safety. The Selangor state fire department posted photos of rescuers digging through soil and rubble with an excavator and shovels. Officials said the rubble is believed to be 8 meters (26 feet) deep. More than 400 rescuers as well as tracking dogs are set to work through the night to find the dozen people still missing. Selangor state fire chief Norazam Khamis was cited by the Free Malaysia Today news portal as saying that two of the bodies found were “hugging each other” and believed to be mother and daughter. The fire department said five children were among those who perished. An estimated 450,000 cubic meters (nearly 16 million cubic feet) of debris — enough to fill 180 Olympic-sized swimming pools — hit the campsite, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the natural resources, environment and climate change minister, told local media. Suffian, the district police chief, said the victims entered the area, a popular recreational site for locals to pitch or rent tents from the farm, on Wednesday. The campsite is not far from the Genting Highlands hill resort, a popular tourist destination with theme parks and Malaysia’s only casino. After visiting the site late Friday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced a special payment to the families of those killed as well as survivors. Nga told local media that the campsite has been operating illegally for the past two years. The operator has government approval to run an organic farm but has no license for camping activities, he said. If found guilty, Nga warned, the camp operator could face up to three years in prison and a fine.

A landslide early Friday at a hillside tourist campground in Malaysia left 16 people dead and authorities said 17 others were feared buried at the site on an organic farm outside the capital of Kuala Lumpur. An estimated 94 Malaysians were sleeping at the campsite in Batang Kali in central Selangor state, around 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur, when the incident occurred, said district police chief Suffian Abdullah. He said the death toll has risen to 16, including a five-year-old boy. Seven people have been hospitalized with injuries and rescuers were searching for the estimated 17 missing people, he said. Another 53 people were rescued without harm. Suffian said the victims had entered the area, a popular recreational site for locals to pitch or rent tents from the farm, on Wednesday. More than 400 personnel, including tracking dogs, were involved in the search and rescue efforts. The Selangor fire department said firefighters began arriving at the scene half an hour after receiving a distress call at 2:24 a.m. The landslide fell from the side of a road from an estimated height of 30 meters (98 feet) and covered an area of about three acres (1.2 hectare). The fire department posted photos of rescuers with flashlights digging through soil and rubble in the early hours of the morning. Read more: Newborn among 7 dead in Italian island landslide Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for a thorough search and is expected to visit the site late Friday. Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming told local media that the campsite has been operating illegally for the past two years. The operator has government approval to run an organic farm but has no license for camping activities, he said. If found guilty, Nga warned the camp operator could face up to three years in jail and a fine. Some families with young children who were rescued took refuge at a nearby police station. Survivors reportedly said they heard a loud thundering noise before the soil came crashing down. Leong Jim Meng, 57, was quoted by the New Straits Times English-language daily saying he and his family were awakened by a loud bang “that sounded like an explosion” and felt the earth move. “My family and I were trapped as soil covered our tent. We managed to escape to a carpark area and heard a second landslide happening,” he told the newspaper. He said it was surprising because there was no heavy rain in recent days, only light drizzles. Read more: 33 killed in Colombia landslide The campsite is located on an organic farm not far from the Genting Highlands hill resort, a popular tourist destination with theme parks and Malaysia’s only casino. Access to roads leading to the area have been blocked. Authorities have halted outdoor recreational activities in Batang Kali. Nga, the local government development minister, said all campsites nationwide that are situated by rivers, waterfalls and hillsides will be closed for a week to assess their safety amid forecasts of downpours in the next few days. Malaysia is currently experiencing year-end monsoon rains.