Foreign aid began arriving in Sri Lanka Saturday, bringing help to half a million people forced out of their homes by heavy rains and landslides that have killed at least 71 in a week of extreme weather wreaking havoc in South Asia. As the heaviest rains in a quarter of a century battered Sri Lanka, Cyclone Roanu barrelled into the Bangladesh coastline leaving six people dead and forcing the evacuation of 500,000 as it unleashed winds as strong as 88 kilometres (54 miles) per hour and heavy downpours.

Torrential rains have deluged Sri Lanka since last weekend, triggering huge landslides that have buried victims in up to 50 feet (15 metres) of mud and left 127 people missing. As aid began to arrive Saturday on a military plane from India and a commercial flight from Japan, Sri Lankan authorities said their priority was now preventing diseases such as diarrhoea, with many areas still under water. "We have sent a large number of doctors and nursing staff to ensure there is no outbreak of waterborne diseases," Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne told AFP.

In Colombo, residents clung to ropes as they battled to cross torrents of water pulsing through the streets of the flooded capital, with some forced to take shelter in rickshaws. The Indian government has provided inflatable boats, outboard motors, diving equipment, medical supplies, electricity generators and sleeping bags, officials said. The first of two Indian naval ships arrived Saturday at the port in Colombo, while Australia and the United States have made cash donations to help victims.

Floodwaters in parts of the capital subsided slightly overnight, officials said, but heavy downpours on Saturday prevented many from moving back to their homes on the banks of the Kelani river. "Colombo did not receive any significant rain last night and the water levels of the Kelani went down slightly," Disaster Management Centre spokesman Pradeep Kodippili told AFP. "But there were showers upstream and we are worried that the water levels can rise again in a day."

- Buddhist holiday -

Nearly 300,000 people were staying in about 500 state-run relief centres Saturday, which also marks the Buddhist holiday of Vesak, while a further 200,000 people were staying with friends or family. Officials said there was a fresh landslide in the worst-hit central district of Kegalle, but that no casualties were reported because the area had been evacuated. The country's influential Buddhist clergy urged the faithful to divert at least half of the money spent on holiday celebrations to help flood victims.

"There are lots of people who have lost their homes, some have only the clothes they are wearing," top Buddhist monk Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana said. "Consider this your meritorious deed to celebrate Vesak." Vesak celebrations were muted Saturday in Colombo compared with previous years when the entire city was decorated with lanterns and coloured lights. President Maithripala Sirisena called on Sri Lankans to provide shelter and donate cash or food to flood victims as offers of assistance came in from overseas. The accommodation booking website airbnb.com listed at least 29 places offering free lodging for anyone affected by the floods in Sri Lanka.

Disaster management officials said there had been a huge outpouring of sympathy for victims with donations of food, clothing and dry rations. The meteorological department says the rains were caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, ahead of the arrival of the southwest monsoon. Around 22 of Sri Lanka's 25 districts have been affected by the rains, according to disaster officials. Almost a third of residents have been moved from the low-lying capital, which has a population of about 650,000.

Nalini Kirubakaran, a 38-year-old at the rehabilitation camp for Sri Lankan Tamils in Tiruchi, became the first naturalised Indian citizen from the Kottapattu camp to vote in a general election on Friday.

The Catholic Church has not accepted proposals of the National Peoples Power (NPP) or the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) over the probes into the Easter Sunday attacks, Member of the Communications Committee of the Archdiocese of Colombo, Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando said today.

An expectant mother who developed labour pains on her way to hospital by boat had delivered the child onboard the ferry near Nagadeepa. She had been first admitted to the Nagadeepa Base Hospital and on the advice of doctors had been transferred to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital by ferry.

Small nations like Sri Lanka will be adversely affected if the current conflict between Israel and Iran escalates, Presidential Advisor Ruwan Wijewardene said today.

An Gazette Extraordinary was issued declaring all services connected to the supply of electricity and or distribution of petroleum products and fuel as essential services from yesterday. The notification issued by Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake.

The one-month general amnesty period announced by the Defence Ministry today will not be applicable to commissioned officers who do not report for duty without leave.

The 19-year-old Sri Lankan national charged in the mass killing of a newcomer family in Ottawa has no plan to seek bail, his lawyer says.

With the Presidential Election scheduled to be held in the first week of October, political parties have begun vigorous campaigns in electorates as well as closed door discussions with parliamentarians in a bid to secure a basic 50 percent vote base which will win them the presidency.

Notwithstanding the internal friction within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) resulting in changes in party's leadership positions, the Election Commission clarified its role in accepting nominations for SLFP candidates in the event that internal conflicts persist beyond the declaration of elections.

Editor of the official Catholic Sinhala weekly ‘Gnanartha Pradeepaya’, Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando reported to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today for an investigation related to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Sri Lankan Rupee remains steady against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (Apr 19) compared to Thursday. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar are unchanged at Rs. 295 and Rs. 305.50, respectively.

It is reported that the Presidential Security Division has taken over the security of the visiting Iranian President – Ebrahim Raisi, who will arrive at Sri Lanka on April 24 for the inauguration of the Uma Oya project.

Sri Lanka remains on high alert as Canadian leaders may make genocide allegations next month when the country marks the war victory, according to a diplomatic source.

The respondent parties in the first application filed before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court under the newly enacted Online Safety Act, raised objections challenging the maintainability of the application.

The Court of Appeal has issued notice on former Member of Parliament Hirunika Premachandra, requiring her to appear before court on May 8 in connection with a contempt of court application.

The Catholic Church has received the remaining parts of the report submitted by the presidential commission which probed the Easter Sunday attacks, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said today. Cardinal Ranjith said the church had received it three weeks ago. “A team of lawyers are studying the report and we will come up with a statement on it once the study is completed,” he told a briefing.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested two suspects, including a retired Major of the Sri Lanka Army for fraudulently obtaining money from individuals promising employment in the Russian army.

The Colombo District Court today further extended its enjoining order preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). This order will be effective till May 9. The Colombo District Court made this order following a lawsuit filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Sri Lanka is considering providing free visas to over 50 countries, it was reported. According to Tourism Ministry sources, a proposal in this regard is to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers next week.

According to the family members, the funeral service for former Deputy Minister Palitha Thewarapperuma is scheduled to take place this Friday (10).