Death toll from Sri Lanka’s floods and mudslides keeps rising as rescue teams push through dangerous terrain and worsening weather.

Authorities confirmed 132 deaths by Saturday and noted 176 people still missing. The Disaster Management Center added that nearly 78,000 residents have been displaced and are staying in temporary shelters across the country.

Moreover, officials warned that the toll could rise further. Social media videos on Saturday revealed several isolated areas swallowed by overnight mudslides. However, many of these sites remain unreachable because the roads are blocked and the ground is unstable.

Sri Lanka has faced relentless rain for more than a week, and conditions worsened sharply on Thursday. Heavy downpours flooded homes, fields and major roads. Landslides struck mostly in the tea-growing central hills, where steep slopes crumble quickly during storms.

Consequently, the government shut down schools, closed state offices and postponed examinations. Most reservoirs and rivers have also overflowed, which has caused even more blockage on key routes. Authorities halted passenger trains and closed major roads after rocks, trees and mud covered rail lines and highways.

By Friday, water flowing from the hardest-hit regions moved toward Colombo. As a result, areas around the capital began to flood even though the city received less rainfall than the central hills.

Officials say Cyclone Ditwah formed east of Sri Lanka and continues to push unstable weather across the island. They believe the system will move toward India’s southern coast by Sunday, bringing more rain and possible coastal impacts.

India has already stepped in with support. The Indian Embassy in Colombo announced that two search and rescue teams — totaling 80 trained responders — arrived Saturday. Additionally, India sent emergency supplies to help overwhelmed local crews.

Even with the added help, Sri Lanka faces a long and difficult recovery. Roads remain dangerous. Mud continues to shift. Families search for relatives while shelters fill with people who fled rising waters. Yet rescue workers continue to push forward, hoping to reach isolated communities before conditions worsen again.

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