Parts of Sri Lanka are being evacuated due to a severe storm that has triggered flooding and landslides, resulting in the deaths of at least 31 individuals.

The National Building Research Organisation in Sri Lanka has issued Red Alerts, urging the immediate evacuation of various areas, including Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, and Nuwara Eliya.

The most severely affected regions so far are the central tea-growing highlands, which are popular among British holidaymakers. Tragically, in the Badulla district, 16 people lost their lives as mountain slopes collapsed onto their homes overnight. Additionally, four fatalities were reported in a similar landslide in the neighboring Nuwara Eliya district.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has reported that nearly 400 homes have been damaged by mudslides, leading to over 1,100 families seeking refuge in temporary shelters. With rising river levels across the island, residents in low-lying areas have been instructed to relocate to higher ground.

Meteorological officials have predicted rainfall of over 100 millimeters throughout Sri Lanka, with northeastern regions expecting deluges of up to 250 millimeters on Thursday.

This week’s death toll is the highest from weather-related incidents in Sri Lanka since June of the previous year. While the country relies on monsoon rains for agriculture and power generation, experts caution that climate change is contributing to more frequent and severe flooding events.