Death toll rises to 92; flood risk declining: DMC

23 May 2016 04:53 pm

The number of deaths caused by the landslides and floods has increased to 92 by today, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.

However, 109 people were still reported missing.

DMC Media Spokesman Pradeep Kodippili, quoting a report of the Irrigation Department, said the flood situation had completely declined.

“The number of the displaced which was more than 300,000 during heavy floods had been reduced to 186,829. The number of camps also had been reduced to 303 from 611,” he said.

Meanwhile, Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, who is in charge of the rescue operations, said one body and three body parts were recovered from the Aranayake landslide area today increasing the death toll to 25 there.

“Eighteen body parts were recovered so far,” he said adding rescue operations would not be discontinued. (Lahiru Pothmulla)