Sri Lanka has closed schools in its tea-growing mountainous regions as heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides that left five people dead and three wounded, officials sayCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka closed schools in its tea-growing mountainous regions Tuesday as heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides that left five people dead and three wounded, officials said. The mountainous areas in the country’s central region are the worst affected by the severe weather, according to the government’s Disaster Management Center. Kodippili said rains and floods damaged 129 houses and that nearly 2,000 people were evacuated. Mudslides and floods are among the most destructive natural disasters, causing severe damage to lives and property in Sri Lanka every year. Heavy monsoon rains mostly trigger mudslides in the central hill region while flooding low-lying areas, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.