Cyclone Ditwah | Pakistan

Sri Lankan authorities battled rising floodwaters in parts of the capital on Sunday after a powerful cyclone left a trail of destruction, killing at least 159 people across the country. The northern part of Colombo was facing a major flood, as the water level in the Kelani River continued to rise, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. The death toll had reached 159, with another 203 people missing, the DMC reported, following a week of heavy rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah, which moved away from Sri Lanka on Saturday. “Although the cyclone has left us, heavy rains upstream are now flooding low-lying areas along the banks of the Kelani River,” a DMC official said. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency yesterday to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone and appealed for international aid. India was the first to respond, sending relief supplies and two helicopters with crew to carry out rescue missions. Japan said it will send a team to assess immediate needs and pledged furthe...