"Hundreds of thousands of residents in Colombo have been reportedly forced to flee as Cyclone Ditwah tore through the region, submerging homes and businesses and leaving many people still stranded. Footage captured on Saturday shows residential areas inundated as displaced families wade through the torrents carrying their belongings. Some locals sought refuge on rooftops as rescue boats tried to reach those in need. Sri Lanka has been battling severe weather since last Friday, with relentless rainfall and mass landslides destroying over 20,000 homes and leaving a third of the country without electricity and running water. On Saturday, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of public emergency as rescue and recovery efforts intensified. The death toll has since risen to 159, with more than 200 people still missing, according to reports. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said fatalities increased after rescuers recovered more bodies in the heavily affected central region, where several victims were buried alive in mudslides earlier this week. Overflowing reservoirs and rivers have cut off major routes, forcing authorities to halt passenger trains, shut highways, and close multiple roads due to fallen rocks, mud, and trees. Railway tracks in several regions are completely flooded. High alerts remain in place, though authorities are hoping for some respite as the storm begins to move towards India's southern coast."