Cyclonic winds and incessant rain continue to batter the South Asian island nation, affecting over 40,000 people

At least 56 people have been killed and over 20 others are missing after incessant rainfall triggered floods and landslides in Sri Lanka, the island nation's authorities said on Friday.

The rainfall, caused by Cyclone Ditwah, has battered the island over the last two days, leading to one of the nation's worst weather disasters in years.

The local authorities said 43,991 people have been affected by the extreme weather conditions, and at least 600 houses have been partially damaged.

Train services have been suspended, while five flights to Colombo were diverted to the southern Indian city of Thiruvanthapuram.

Relief and rescue operations are ongoing across the island, but have been hampered by power cuts, landslides, and road blockages.

India has dispatched urgent humanitarian assistance and disaster relief materials to Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Narendra Modisaidon X, while offering condolences over those who lost their lives in the floods and landslides.

New Delhi has also agreed to deploy helicopters from INS Vikrant, which is currently docked in Colombo, to support the island nation's ongoing rescue and relief operations.

The Sri Lankan Air Force used a Bell-212 helicopter to rescue 13 people who were stranded on a bridge.

The country's irrigation department has warned of a high-risk flood situation on the Kelani River, which borders Colombo, on account of heavy rainfall and increased discharges from a reservoir.

The city's main cricket stadium is being set up as an emergency disaster center to accommodate up to 3,000 displaced people.

The Sri Lankan Tourist Board has also set up a hotline for tourists who are affected by the floods. The country's peak tourism season begins at the end of November.

Cyclone Ditwah has weakened over Sri Lanka and is moving toward the southeastern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Unusually heavy rains have also killed 90 people in Indonesia and affected millions in Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

(RT.com)