Heavy rains and floods kill 6 people in Sri Lanka and force schools to close

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Heavy rain has triggered floods and mudslides and downed trees in many parts of Sri Lanka, killing at least six people and forcing authorities to close schools in some areas. Strong monsoon rains have been pounding the Indian Ocean nation for more than a week, flooding houses, fields and roads. A hospital official says a large tree fell on a moving bus in Colombo on Friday, killing five people and injuring five others. Separately, one person died when a rock fell on his house during a mudslide. The state-run Disaster Management Center says the floods and mudslides have damaged hundreds of houses and affected more than 50,000 people, including more than 1,400 families who were moved to temporary shelters.