At least seven people have been killed in severe floods and landslides triggered by continuous heavy rainfall in Sri Lanka.

The disaster has caused widespread damage in the country's central mountainous region, prompting the government to declare all educational institutions in the area closed due to the deteriorating situation.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, flash floods and landslides occurred following torrential rains in the hilly tea-plantation-dominated region. The area had not yet fully recovered after being devastated by Cyclone Ditwah in November of last year.

Pradeep Kodippili, a spokesperson for the country's Disaster Management Center, stated that five people were killed when two houses were buried by landslides in the central region. In addition, two others died due to floodwaters.

He further noted that 129 houses have been damaged by the rain and floods. For safety reasons, approximately 3,500 people have been relocated to secure shelters.

Navy and army personnel have been deployed to rescue people trapped in the floodwaters. Footage broadcast on local television showed soldiers wading through submerged roads to rescue stranded families.

Due to the mountainous terrain of vast areas in central Sri Lanka, including Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, the region frequently faces the risk of landslides during the monsoon season.

Al Jazeera's report also mentioned that severe floods and landslides in the same area driven by the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025 resulted in approximately 640 deaths and caused nearly 4.1 billion US dollars in damages.

At that time, schools and government offices nationwide were also ordered closed.

Just nine months after that incident, this latest catastrophic disaster has placed renewed pressure on Sri Lanka's disaster management capabilities.

Meanwhile, authorities have not yet announced a decision regarding when educational institutions in the affected districts will reopen, stating that a decision will be made after observing weather conditions over the coming days.