Govt appeals for help; toll hits 193

Sri Lanka yesterday appealed for volunteers to help with a massive clean-up after landslides and floods left at least 193 dead and tens of thousands without safe drinking water.

The government sought help to purify wells contaminated by the floods, the worst in 14 years after record rainfall in the island's southwest.

The Disaster Management Centre said nearly 600,000 people had been forced from their homes. Just over 1,300 houses were completely destroyed in landslides, while nearly 7,000 suffered structural damage, according to official figures.

Water supply minister Rauf Hakeem said 40 percent of those affected had no access to piped drinking water, and there was an urgent need to purify contaminated wells in flood-hit areas.

He said 400 people had volunteered so far for a major clean-up of wells and appealed for donations of water pumps.

Government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said many victims had started moving back into their homes as floodwaters receded but authorities remained concerned about the spread of disease. In addition to the official death toll of 193, another 94 people were listed as missing as of yesterday afternoon.