About 200 people are missing and 10 people are dead following a landslide in central Sri Lanka, disaster officials say, the BBC reports.
The landslide, which came after heavy monsoon rains, engulfed about 140 houses in Badulla district, officials said.
Security forces have been mobilised in search and rescue operations.
Mudslide warnings were issued after much of Sri Lanka was lashed by heavy rain in the past few weeks.
“Rescue operations have recovered 10 bodies so far,” Pradeep Kodippili, spokesman for the Disaster Management Centre, said.
“Over 250 people are still missing and 140 houses are buried.”
Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told local media that 10 shops and three official residences had also been hit by the landslide.
Sections of several national highways have been washed away by the rains, AFP news agency reported.
The landslide hit the Meeriyabedda tea plantation near the town of Haldummulla, about 200 km (120 miles) east of the capital Colombo, on Wednesday morning.
