A mudslide in central Sri Lanka triggered by extreme, heavy rains buried the area around a tea estate on Wednesday, leaving the current death toll at 10, with more than 300 people missing, according to BBC News.
An official from the Disaster Management Center said the mudslide occurred around 7:30 a.m. and wiped out 120 workers' homes at the Meeriabedda tea estate in Badulla district, 135 miles east of the capital, Colombo, BBC reported.
Rescue workers have pulled out 10 bodies so far that had been buried by the mudslide, according to Reuters. About 300 other people were still missing and the military mobilized troops to help in the rescue operations.
According to officials, the mudslide affected more than one mile of land, BBC reported. National highways have been washed away by the monsoon.
"Rescue operations have recovered 10 bodies so far," Pradeep Kodippili, spokesman for the Disaster Management Centre, said, Reuters reported. "Over 250 people are still missing and 140 houses are buried."
The Disaster Management Center had issued warnings for mudslides and falling rocks due to the heavy rains that have fallen in the past weeks, Reuters reported.
Kodippili said villagers had been warned to temporarily relocate due to the threat of a landslide, but many did not heed the warning, according to Reuters.
The air force and police are currently searching for survivors since the weather has cleared, BBC reported.
In June, monsoon rains triggered landslides in Sri Lanka that killed at least 22 people and forced thousands from their homes, according to BBC.
