Sri Lanka, Bangladesh submerged

  • 22/05/2016
Bangladesh (Getty)
Bangladesh (Getty)

At least 73 people have been killed in landslides and flooding from heavy rain in Sri Lanka, while thousands have been forced to leave their homes in Bangladesh as it was hit by Cyclone Roanu overnight.

Almost a third of residents from Sri Lanka's low-lying capital, with a population of 650,000, have been forced to leave their homes, and others have gone missing as torrential rains saturate the country.

Victims have been buried in landslides leaving up to 15 metres of mud, and around 22 of Sri Lanka's 25 districts have been affected by the rains, according to disaster officials.

Foreign assistance is arriving after Sri Lanka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs call for help. India and Japan have sent medicine, tents, tarpaulin sheets, generators and water purifiers, the Guardian reports.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh submerged

Flooded streets of Dhaka after heavy rainfalls caused a standstill (Getty).

Sri Lanka Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne told AFP their top priority is to prevent waterborne diseases.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Roanu has left at least 24 people dead and 500,000 evacuated, with winds up to 54mph and rain hitting the coastal areas of Bangladesh on Saturday (local time).

The storm has since weakened, but heavy rain continues to submerge houses and cause landslides, the BBC has reported.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh submerged

(Getty)

Several ports have been closed and power lines are down, but the extent of the damage is not yet known to its full extent until tomorrow.

Newshub.