Sri Lanka closes schools as floods and landslides leave 10 dead and 6 missing

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Schools in Sri Lanka were closed Monday as heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides in many parts of the island nation, killing at least 10 people and leaving six others missing, officials said.

The Ministry of Education said the reopening of schools would depend on weather conditions.

Since Sunday, heavy rains have caused devastating damage in many parts of the country, flooding houses, fields and roads and forcing authorities to shut off power as a precautionary measure.

Six people died on Sunday in the capital Colombo and the remote Rathnapura district after they were washed away and drowned, the disaster management center said. Three others died when mounds of earth fell on their homes and one person died when a tree fell on them. Six people have been missing since Sunday.

By Monday, more than 5,000 people had been taken to evacuation centers and more than 400 homes had been damaged, the center said in a statement.

Navy and army troops were dispatched to rescue victims and provide those affected with food and other essential supplies.

Sri Lanka has been battling extreme weather conditions caused by heavy monsoon rains since mid-May. Previously, strong winds had toppled trees in many areas and killed nine people.