COLOMBO, May 15 -- Sri Lanka's Department of Meteorology on Friday (15) issued a red alert for heavy rainfall across several parts of the island as intense showers, rising river levels and flooding threats continued to disrupt normal life, leaving two people dead and thousands affected.

The Meteorology Department said a low-pressure system located northeast of Sri Lanka continued to influence weather conditions across the country, although the system is expected to gradually move away within the next 36 hours.

Authorities warned that very heavy rainfall of around 150 millimetres could occur in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western Provinces, while rainfall exceeding 100 millimetres was also forecast for areas in the South...