COLOMBO: A storm packing heavy rain and gusty winds lashed southern Sri Lanka over the weekend, killing at least 19 and leaving 43 fishermen missing, the island's disaster management centre said Sunday.
More than 53,000 people were also forced out of their damaged homes in the southern areas of the country following two days of heavy winds and rain, the centre said in a statement.
It said 41 people who escaped with injuries were admitted to hospitals while the authorities were looking for any survivors among fishermen who were reported missing. About 5,700 houses were also damaged.
Sri Lanka depends on monsoon rains for irrigation and power generation, but the seasonal downpours frequently cause death and property damage.
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