COLOMBO, Dec. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Floods have devastated several parts of Sri Lanka due to torrential rains since Saturday, government officials said on Monday.

    The north central province Polonnaruwa and Ampara districts andthe eastern province's Batticaloa and Ampara districts came under the worst hit.

    The Social Services ministry said that over 18,000 families have already been displaced and have been accommodated in temporary shelters.

    Matale and Nuwara Eliya districts in the central province have also been affected with landslips in some areas, leaving one dead at Nuwara Eliya district.

    32,000 acres of paddy fields were destroyed in the Polonnaruwa district, officials said, adding that several roads in the affected areas are impassable.

    The government has already launched an urgent relief operation,officials added. Enditem