Terror of Sri Lankan landslides: 'All I could do was scream'

ELANGAPITIYA VILLAGE, Sri Lanka -- Heavy rains Thursday pounded the central Sri Lankan region where at least three villages already have been swallowed by mountains of mud, forcing soldiers and police to suspend rescue work. At least 18 people are known to have been killed, and hundreds were reported missing in the landslides so far.

Rescue work had resumed early in the morning before fresh rains began in the area. Military spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera told reporters in the capital, Colombo, the army was assessing the situation and would deploy more troops in the worst-hit Kegalle district if needed.

Heavy rains have lashed across the island nation for several days, and officials said the extent of the tragedy still was unclear. The Sri Lankan Red Cross said at least 220 families were unaccounted for.

"The task is to figure out what happened to them," the Red Cross said in a statement, noting some people may have left after local officials warned earlier this week of possible landslides.

Jayaweera said the army so far had rescued 156 people trapped by landslides, and more than 1,550 people were being sheltered in seven shelters.

Heavy fog, rain, electrical outages and the loose ground have made it difficult to search for survivors. Officials also have warned with rain still falling, more landslides could occur in the area.

Villagers said torrents of muddy water, tree branches and debris came crashing down around their homes Tuesday in the three villages, located at different heights on the same hill in Kegalle district, about 45 miles north of Colombo.

Sri Lanka's disaster-management center Thursday reported 38 deaths from lightning strikes and smaller landslides elsewhere in the country earlier this week.

Nearly 135,000 people have been displaced and are being housed in temporary shelters.

Mudslides are common during monsoon season.