The World - News from June 5, 1989

Floods and landslides caused by torrential rains killed 171 people and wiped out entire hamlets in the hills of central Sri Lanka, officials said. More than 100,000 people were homeless after eight inches of rain drenched central farming regions, said Mahinda Premawardene, deputy director of the Social Services Department. The rains eventually eased but continued to hamper rescue operations. The hardest-hit area was the region around Kegalle, 45 miles northeast of Colombo, the capital.