Colombo, Nov 28: At least 56 people have died and 21 others remain missing in Sri Lanka after relentless rainfall this week triggered severe flooding and landslides, creating one of the country's most devastating weather-related disasters in recent memory.

The central tea-growing district of Badulla suffered the highest casualties, where a massive landslide crashed onto homes on Tuesday night, killing 21 people, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. Dramatic videos circulating on social media show houses collapsing and being swept away as torrents of floodwater tore through several towns.

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With widespread inundation disrupting mobility, most train services across the island have been suspended. Authorities have also closed key inter-provincial roads amid rising water levels.

The crisis is set to deepen further, with Sri Lanka bracing for more severe weather as Cyclone Ditwah moves along the island’s eastern coast. Originally a deep depression, Ditwah has since intensified into a cyclone and is expected to make landfall in India. Sri Lanka’s Met Department has warned that more than 200 mm of rainfall could lash central and northern regions on Friday.

River levels continue to rise, prompting the Irrigation Department to issue a red-level flood warning for low-lying areas along the Kelani River valley, including parts of Colombo, over the next 48 hours. Residents in vulnerable zones have been urged to move to higher ground immediately.

Nearly 44,000 people have been affected by the extreme weather, according to the DMC. The Sri Lankan Army has deployed around 20,500 personnel for relief and rescue operations nationwide. Meanwhile, A-Level examinations scheduled for this week have been postponed due to the disruptions.

Although Sri Lanka is in its monsoon season, the scale of the current devastation is unusual. The island last witnessed flooding of similar magnitude in June 2003, when 254 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.