At least 334 people have died in Sri Lanka in the past few days as Cyclone Ditva battered the island nation, the Disaster Management Center said.
“The death toll from the severe weather conditions that have battered the country in the past few days has risen to 334,“ the center said. The previous death toll was 159.
About 854,000 people in the island nation were affected by Cyclone Ditva. About 124,000 people have been evacuated to 919 temporary shelters.
A Sri Lankan air force helicopter crashed during a rescue operation, killing the pilot, the Sri Lankan air force said in a statement.
The plane crash occurred while the helicopter, which was delivering aid and evacuating people from flooded areas, was on a routine mission. The pilot was taken to hospital with injuries, where he later died. Four other people on board were injured.