Emergency teams have been searching for 134 missing people who have been buried in mud after landslides covered three villages in Sri Lanka, but fear that there may not be any survivors.
At least 68 have died due to the several days of torrential rain. Deaths have been caused by lightning strikes, drowning, falling trees, and the landslides.
Disaster management authorities have said around 300,000 people have been moved out of their homes across the island to 610 different sheltered areas such as schools and temples.
Up until Friday morning, only 30 bodies have been found from the landslides. Military officials continue to shovel through the mud in search of survivors amidst the heavy rain.
The storm has been related to the deadly Cyclone Roanu, which is predicted to bring major flood risks to northeastern India and Bangladesh this coming weekend according to AccuWeather.
"I fear the missing 134 could be dead at this point, but we will continue our operation to recover the bodies to give families some peace," Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, the officer in charge, told BBC Sinhal.
Schools have been ordered to close Friday by the government because the rain was predicted to continue. Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera stated that the country urgently needs water purification tablets, water pumps and drinking water.
India has sent two naval ships to the Colombo coast in hopes to aid Sri Lanka with relief material after the natural disaster.
Sri Lanka continues to seek assistance in dealing with the worst landslide in the country's history.
