Sri Lanka in state of emergency as cyclone death toll rises above 150

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Nov 29 and appealed for international assistance as the death toll from heavy rain and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah rose to 153, with another 191 reported missing.

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The extreme weather system has destroyed more than 15,000 homes, sending 78,000 people to state-run temporary shelters, the Disaster Management Centre said.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invoked emergency laws, granting him sweeping powers to deal with the devastation after a week of torrential rain across the island.

The military rescued 69 bus passengers on Nov 29, including a German tourist, who were marooned in the Anuradhapura district, after a 24-hour operation involving a helicopter and naval boats.

One of the passengers, speaking to reporters at a local hospital, said navy sailors helped them climb onto the roof of a nearby home after using ropes to help them wade through flood waters.