Death toll reaches 69 as Sri Lanka is hit by rising flood waters

Heavy rain from Cyclone Ditwah has left people stranded, with more than 18,000 evacuated to temporary shelters

Troops in Sri Lanka were racing to rescue hundreds of people marooned by rising flood waters on Friday as weather-related deaths rose to 69, with another 34 people declared missing.

Helicopters and navy boats carried out rescue operations, plucking people from treetops, roofs and villages cut off by flood waters.