Floods took a heavy toll in several districts with several deaths reported and nearly 8,000 families displaced while cutting off access roads in many areas due to heavy flooding and obstructions by landslides. 7,860 families (33,408 persons) were reported displaced in Colombo, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Puttalam, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle, Gampaha and Kegalle. Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishard Badiudeen has directed the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries of the relevant districts to carry out immediate relief work.

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) yesterday warned the public to be vigilant on sudden landslides that could occur in eight districts Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalutara, Galle and Matara as a result of torrential rains.

The groundwater level in Dhaka is dipping because of a massive extraction of water from underground, according to a recent study. Experts said that the groundwater level was declining by up to three metres every year, posing a threat of landslide. According to a report,

Kalimpong: DGHC administrator B.L. Meena has agreed to take up landslide prevention work in the hills on a priority basis. He, however, cautioned that it would take time to accomplish the onerous task. After meeting representatives of NGOs like Citizen Rights Forum, Kalimpong, and Save The Hills, Meena said the Bengal government has already identified roads, drinking water, rural electrification, education and health as priority areas, and landslide prevention would be added to the list.

Peru Rescues Seven Miners Trapped By Landslide PERU: April 14, 2008 LIMA - Peruvian rescue workers on Saturday saved seven miners late who had been trapped under a landslide at a small, independent mine near the Andes mountain range, regional police said. The miners were trapped for around 38 hours at the Chuncanaqui site in the region of Ancash, north of Lima. Police, civil defense workers and technicians from Canada's Barrick Gold Corp dug for hours to reach the mine's entrance, where the workers were buried in rubble.

Kalimpong: Six-hundred-and-forty households in and around Kalimpong have appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to save them from landslides, a threat that looms large in the hills during monsoon.

Manali: Four people were killed and at least seven injured when a landslide hit them at Nehru Kund on the Manali-Leh highway on Monday.

Disaster Management Centre of Sri Lanka said that over 7,000 families have been displaced due to floods. Also, several areas are in danger with landslides, the Centre added.