Sri Lanka: joint UN-government assessment begins in flood-affected areas

United Nations agencies have begun a joint assessment mission with the Government of Sri Lanka after record rains caused flash floods in parts of the capital, Colombo, and other areas.

The floods, which have affected several districts, have been caused by what is reportedly the heaviest rainfall in Colombo in 18 years, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

Nearly 186,900 people, the majority of them in Colombo, have been affected as of 11 November, according to the National Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

The DMC is carrying out a rapid assessment together with the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and OCHA.

According to media reports, the flooding has left tens of thousands of families homeless, disrupted traffic and submerged the country’s Parliament in four feet of water.