Dengue deaths reach 71, cases exceed 93,600 this year.
Legendary singer Nanda Malini laid to rest amidst national mourning.
HRC investigates torture allegations against ex-intel chief Suresh Sale.
President calls for strategic paddy reserves due to climate risks.
Heavy rainfall causes flooding and landslides in 8 districts.
Sri Lanka grapples with a deepening public health crisis as dengue cases surge past 93,600 and deaths hit 71 , prompting new community-based eradication efforts . Amidst this, the nation mourns the loss of cultural icon Dr. Nanda Malini, whose funeral drew hundreds of thousands , while the Human Rights Commission investigates serious torture allegations against former intelligence chief Suresh Sale, highlighting ongoing concerns about detention conditions .
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is investigating allegations of torture against former intelligence director Suresh Sale, noting deficiencies in his detention cell and unimplemented recommendations for prisons
Read more. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasized the urgent need for strategic paddy reserves to counter future climate risks and ensure food security, while also addressing unsold stocks from the previous Yala season
Read more. In an academic appointment, President Dissanayake named Professor N.D. Fernando as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, effective August 24, 2026
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Sri Lanka's dengue crisis continues to worsen, with 71 deaths and over 93,600 cases reported this year, including 8,297 in August alone, with Gampaha, Colombo, and Kandy districts remaining high-risk areas
Read more. In response, a "Community-Based Dengue Eradication and Control Pilot Program" was launched in Boralesgamuwa on August 21st, aiming to boost public participation and behavioral change to combat the escalating outbreak
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Legendary Sri Lankan singer, musician, and cultural icon, Dr. Nanda Malini, was laid to rest on August 22, 2026, at the Borella General Cemetery. Her passing at 82 on August 20 prompted a three-day national mourning period and drew hundreds of thousands, including political leaders and artists, to pay their final respects to a voice celebrated for its contributions to Sri Lankan song and social justice
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Sri Lanka is in mourning following the passing of legendary singer Dr. Nanda Malini on August 20, 2026, at the age of 82
Read more. A three-day national mourning period was declared, with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya among those who paid tribute to her powerful voice and significant contributions to music and civic activism.
Sri Lanka is experiencing significant disruptions due to heavy rainfall, with Hatton and Nawalapitiya facing widespread flooding and a landslide in Ratnapura necessitating evacuations
Read more. The Meteorological Department recorded 204mm of rainfall in Kasbewa and forecasts continued heavy showers across at least 8 districts, impacting over 3,400 individuals, as the Southwest monsoon is expected to fully establish.
Police in Aluthgama are investigating the gruesome discovery of a severed human head on Moragalla beach, while a headless body was found near the Beruwala railway line, identified as a 34-year-old male from Matugama
Read more. Authorities are conducting parallel investigations into the incident, considering both suicide and murder as possibilities, with no witnesses to a train accident reported.
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