Sri Lankan rescuers pushed deeper into flooded towns on Monday as the death toll from last week's cyclone reached 355, with another 366 people still missing, according to official figures.
Cyclone Ditwah triggered the country's worst flooding in a decade when it swept across the island on Friday, unleashing heavy rain and landslides in central districts. More than half a million people have been affected, and families along the Kelani River were still trying to recover belongings from waterlogged homes.
The first time the entire island had been hit at once
Rail and flight services have resumed after days of disruption, though schools remain closed while crews work to reopen blocked roads and restore basic services. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Sunday that the storm marked the first time the entire island had been hit at once, calling it the most difficult natural disaster the country has faced.
The system also drenched India's Tamil Nadu state over the weekend, where authorities reported three deaths linked to the heavy rain. Weather officials said the storm has weakened into a deep depression about 50 km off the coast of Chennai and is expected to lose strength further in the coming hours.