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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Heavy rain and lightning strikes across Sri Lanka have left at least seven people dead and displaced more than 1,000, officials said Monday.
Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said lighting killed six people and a landslide killed another in different parts of the island.
The Disaster Management Center said 1,024 people were moved to 20 safe locations. Hundreds of army troops and police were deployed to carry out relief work and rescue operations as heavy rains caused flash floods in many parts of the country.
Sri Lanka has been experiencing heavy rains since Sunday, prompting the government to issue landslide warnings for five districts.
The meteorology department warned of thundershowers with strong winds over the next 24 hours and asked people to take precautions against lightning strikes.
Sri Lanka has suffered frequent natural calamities in recent years. More than 200 people were killed in mudslides and floods during monsoon rains last May.
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