As flood deaths exceed 150 Sri Lanka appeals for aid

At least 151 people have been killed in floods and mudslides in Sri Lanka as emergency teams rushed to distribute aid to another half a million people displaced by the island's worst flooding in more than a decade.

More bodies are continued to be pull out under enormous mudslides by rescuers on Sunday, and Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said 111 people were still missing.

Major-General Sudantha Ranasinghe, heading the search and rescue mission, said that he does not expect to find any more survivors.

The situation is said to be very dire, the water levels are receding, but very slowly."

It was said that the sheer scale and number of landslides as well as flooding around the country have stretched authorities, adding that entire villages are still under water.

Soldiers took advantage of the lull in rains to clear access to most of the affected areas and the military has deployed helicopters, boats as well as amphibious vehicles to distribute aid.

The government has appealed for bottled water, new clothes and dry rations for those displaced as nearly 2,000 houses were damaged or completely destroyed.