The Disaster Management Centre said more than 78,000 people have been shifted to nearly 800 relief centres, most of them set up in schools. Police, navy personnel and army troops are delivering food supplies, clearing blocked roads and rescuing families trapped by rising water.
Among those seeking shelter is Mallika Kumari, who lives with her family along the Kelani River in Malwana, about 20 kilometres from Colombo. She said their home was submerged up to the roof on Friday. She and her husband managed to escape with their three children by hiring a lorry and spending the night on the roadside.
Kumari hopes to return briefly to collect her children’s clothes and school books. She said the floodwaters rose faster than anyone had expected. In the rush, she left behind her pet cat, which was later rescued by a navy boat.
Malwana and other low lying areas near Colombo remain underwater, and many homes are without electricity. Rescue boats continue to move stranded families to relief centres as rains are forecast to continue through the weekend, raising fears of fresh flooding.
Some residents have chosen to stay in the upper floors of their partially submerged houses to protect their belongings. Local businesses, including pharmacies, shops and markets, have also been flooded, sparking concerns over financial losses and long term recovery.
At the Dalugala Thakiya Mosque, volunteers prepared rice parcels with chicken and dhal curry for displaced families, with plans to increase capacity by Sunday. Organiser Risham Ahmed said many people who depend on daily wages are already running out of savings.
"They are worried about how to piece their lives back together," he said.
