Around 400 people have gathered in safe places in the Aranayake area, sources from five Kegalle District Secretariat said.

They said rescue missions were underway to save the people affected by a major landslide struck the area last evening. 

Reports said the landslide had buried three villages in the area - namely Siripura,  Ilangapitiya and Pallebage. Police reports said nearly 150 families lived in that area. 

"Soon before the landslide struck the villages, around 100 people fled the area. But some were trapped in the villages," a resident in the area told Asian Mirror. 

Meanwhile, the government has decided to close all schools in the area on May 18 and 19.