DHAKA: More than 100 people are believed to have been killed on Wednesday in a landslide in hilly south-central Sri Lanka.

The country’s disaster management minister Mahinda Amaraweera said, reports the BBC.

‘More than 100 people are believed to have died,’ the minister told the media from the disaster site in the village of Haldummulla, 190km inland from the capital Colombo.

‘We have suspended the rescue operations because of darkness and inclement weather. There is also threat of further landslide. We will continue from tomorrow.’

Amaraweera said the landslide was at least 3km long. Villagers had been advised in 2005 and 2012 to move away because of the threat of landslides, but many did not heed the warning, he said.

** 10 dead, 300 missing in Sri Lanka landslide

BDST: 2052 HRS, OCT 29, 2014