Monsoon toll rises in Sri Lanka

Colombo, June 4 : The death toll from floods and landslides in Sri Lanka on Wednesday crossed 19, official said.

According to the official sources, more than 350,000 people have been displaced by the flooding with no sign of heavy rain abating.

Normal life has been severely disrupted in the districts of Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Mathara and Rathnapura.

The Weather department has predicted even more rain later this week.

The secretary to the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief, ACM Razeek, told the BBC Sinhala service that four more people were missing feared dead.

"Monsoon rains have been heavier than normal, causing landslides and rivers to burst their banks in south, west and central areas of the country," the official said.

The army is using boats and helicopters to distribute food and rescue people.

The official said that they are unable to estimate the extent of crop damage because large tracts of land are still submerged.

ANI