BEIJING (Sputnik) — On Sunday, the Sri Lankan disaster management ministry said that a total of 151 people have died and 111 are missing in the country after heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides on the island.
“The government of China is ready to provide aid and support the initiatives, launched by the Sri Lankan government to deal with the consequences of the natural disaster,” Xi said in a telegram to the Sri Lankan president, as quoted by the foreign ministry.
According to the Sri Lankan authorities, more than 430,000 people have been affected, while over 100,000 were forced to flee to the safe locations.
The emergency is reportedly the worst since 2003 when a tropical cyclone swept through southwest Sri Lanka, causing flooding and landslides that killed 260 people and destroyed almost 25,000 homes.
