Sri Lanka has almost doubled its military deployment to regions struck by a cyclone that has killed 627, sending tens of thousands of troops to help areas hit by a wave of destruction, the army said Monday.

More than two million people -- nearly 10 percent of the population -- have been affected by the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the worst on the island this century.

Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains on Monday, topping 50 millimetres in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said. It has also issued warnings of further landslides.

The DMC has confirmed 627 deaths, with another 190 people unaccounted for since November 27, when intense rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah triggered landslides and floods.

The d

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