Heavy rains in the southern and western parts of the country have destroyed hundreds of homes and cut off several roads.

Landslides and floods killed at least 91 people in Sri Lanka on Friday, the Disaster Management Centre said.

Nearly 50,000 people across 13 districts in the southern parts of the island were affected and about 8,000 of them had to be evacuated from Kalutara, a coastal city some 40 km south of Colombo, among the worst hit.

Sri Lanka: 91 people dead, 110 missing as of 7 p.m. on Friday, following landslides, floods in the southern districts #lka @the_hindu — Meera Srinivasan (@Meerasrini) May 26, 2017

As of 7 p.m., 91 deaths were reported while over 100 persons were missing, a spokesman of the Centre told The Hindu, even as authorities continued receiving updates from areas that were inaccessible earlier in the day.

After last year’s drought that resulted in a significant water and power shortage in Sri Lanka, farmers and the people anxiously awaited the South West Monsoon. However, its onset proved disastrous for those living in the island’s southern districts. Meteorological authorities have predicted heavy rains and strong winds over the next 36 hours.

Last May, Sri Lanka experienced severe floods in which at least a 100 people died.

Following a request from the Sri Lankan government on Friday, India dispatched two ships with relief material and sent special medical teams. "The [Indian] High Commission is in contact with Sri Lankan authorities and will coordinate any requirement of additional relief assistance as per the situation," a statement said.