Monsoon flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka in May 2017 killed at least 208 people and displaced roughly 600,000.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- At least 208 people
- Missing
- 78 people
- Displaced
- ~600,000 people
- Total affected
- 698,289 people
- Houses completely destroyed
- 2,093 houses
- Districts affected
- 15 districts
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A heavy southwest monsoon beginning around 18–19 May 2017, combined with the precursor system of Cyclone Mora, brought intense rainfall to Sri Lanka. This combination dramatically increased water levels and destabilized hillsides across multiple provinces.
Flooding and landslides struck 15 districts of Sri Lanka during the final week of May 2017, with the worst impacts concentrated in Kalutara, Matara, and Ratnapura districts. The Kalu River overflowed triggering mudflows in Kalutara, while Ratnapura recorded 79 deaths and Agalawatte alone reported 47 deaths.
At least 208 people were killed and 78 remained missing, with approximately 600,000 people displaced. Nearly 700,000 people were affected in total, more than 2,000 houses were completely destroyed, and large areas were rendered inaccessible by landslides, hampering relief efforts.