President Mahinda Rajapaksa today instructed the commanders of the three forces and relevant authorities to provide immediate relief to the people affected by inclement weather conditions.
He also requests the Ministers and political representatives in the affected districts to leave aside political activities and assist the victims.
The government says that it has allocated more than 160 million rupees for relief activities while another sum of 200 million rupees will be disbursed for the benefit of victims today.
At least 14 persons have been killed and nearly 700,000 affected in the country due to floods and mudslides caused by heavy rains across the country in the past three days.
A total of ten deaths have been reported from the worse affected Badulla District alone as authorities continue search operations for missing landslide victims amidst prevailing inclement weather and risk of further landslides in the area.
Earlier today, 3 bodies were recovered after a landslide buried around 5 houses and their occupants in Rilpola, Badulla. Several others are reported missing as at least 10 persons were inside the homes at the time of the incident.
Another three persons, including a mother and her son, died as a result of two separate earth slips in Galkanda and Hegoda areas.
Four more deaths have also been reported from Uduwaha, Karunapura, Medhapathana and Pahalagama areas in the Badulla District.
In addition to this the Disaster Management Centre said that reports of another 4 deaths, 5 injured persons and 2 missing persons have been received from other parts of the country.
Some 185,079 families across 17 districts in Northern, Central, North Western, Eastern, North Central, Uva, Sabaragamuwa and Western provinces have been affected by the bad weather, it said.
Sri Lanka Railways said all train services from capital Colombo to the central hill areas of Kandy, Badulla and Matale were cancelled due to the severe weather conditions.
Meteorological Department said that low pressure has increased into a depression located just off the southeast coast and that strong winds up to 60 kms are expected. People have been asked to stay away from coastal areas.
The Department of Meteorology further said that significant rainfalls have been reported from main meteorological stations during last 24hrs ending at 08.30 a.m.
It said that rainfall of 275.8mm from Pottuvil, 195.9 from Badulla, 145.7mm from Moneragala, 134.9 mm from Bandarawela and 112.0 from Hambantota have been reported today.
People living in the vicinity of rivers and reservoirs have been asked to remain cautious regarding rising water levels with the opening of sluice gates.
Meanwhile residents of 11 districts have been cautioned over the risk of earth slips, landslides and rock falls.
