Death toll rises to 100 in Sri Lanka's floods, landslides

The death toll from recent floods and landslides in Sri Lanka increased to 100 Saturday, with 99 other people still missing, as a major relief operation backed by government security forces continued, officials said.The districts of Ratnapura, Kalutara and Matara are among the worst-affected, reported the Disaster Management Center (DMC)."The death toll has increased from 91 overnight with the recovery of more bodies while the search operations for the missing are continuing," DMC spokesman Pradeep Kodippili said.The search operation for the missing were mostly being carried out in Kalutara and Ratnapura, where more than a dozen landslides have been reported, leaving more than 100 houses buried or partially damaged.The government has appealed to persons living beside some of the river banks close to the capital - as well as in southern Matara district - to vacate their homes due to rising flood levels.The Indian Navy ship INS Kirch reached Colombo on Saturday with relief materials, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Gopal Bagley said, with two more expected soon.The disaster is the worst since 2003, when more than 300 people were killed in similar floods and landslides in the central and southern parts of the country as monsoon rains set in.