Search for landslide victims paused as heavy debris blocks access

Rescue operations for missing persons have been suspended in certain areas as blocked roads and massive debris make reaching the hardest-hit areas impossible.

Rescue teams warned that a significant number of additional casualties may still be buried under the debris in the affected areas.

Major landslides have been reported in Alawathugoda, Ududumbara, Meemure, Gampola and Rambukkana, where rescue operations have been rendered extremely difficult.

It is also reported that accurate records of those missing in these incidents have not yet been compiled.

However, rescue teams expressed hope that operations could resume once access routes are cleared and conditions improve, allowing them to reach the hardest-hit locations.