Survivors of Cyclone Ditwah that has ravaged Sri Lanka in recent days began returning to their devastated homes on Wednesday, faced with a massive clean-up as they start rebuilding their lives.

The powerful storm brought record rains that triggered landslides and floods across the island country, killing at least 474 people, according to disaster officials, with another 366 still unaccounted for.

Soma Wanniarachchi, 69, had stayed behind as long as she could, "but when the water level reached about eight feet (2.5 metres), I decided to leave," she told AFP.

Back in her village of Kotuwila, near the capital Colombo, she was shocked to see the damage to her catering equipment rental business.

Chafing dishes and woks have disappeared, and "my stainless steel utensils are now probably in t

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