Colombo (PTI): Flash floods due to heavy rains have left at least six people dead and over 80,000 marooned across Sri Lanka, officials said.

The Government yesterday issued 15 million Sri Lankan Rupees to provide immediate relief to the affected people.

Rains have displaced thousands of people in the southern districts of Galle and Kalutara, the southeastern districts of Kegalla and Ratnapura and the central hilly areas since Friday, they said.

Displaced families had been provided temporary shelter mainly at government schools and Buddhist temples.

The Department of Irrigation has warned that the water levels in the Nilwala Ganga and Kuda Ganga, which is a branch of Kukuleganga were rising in southern Sri Lanka.

Weathermen cautioned there was a risk of more landslides and floods as heavy rains would accompany the onset of Southwest Monsoon, expected to get established over the island within the next two days.

The people in some areas of Colombo district have been asked to find alternative shelters as their is a threat of the Kelani river overflowing if the rains continue, the National Coordinator said.

Reports from provincial areas said transport was badly hampered in several parts due to landslides and the rising water levels which had left several roads impassable.

However, according to National Coordinator of Disaster Management Centre K. Ekanayake all measures were afoot to assist the affected with a properly co-ordinated mechanism involving government authorities in the affected areas.

He said rescue boats had been despatched to the needy areas with Navy assistance and Sri Lankan Air Force was also roped in relief operations.