Sri Lanka closes schools as floods hammer the capital

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka closed schools in the capital, Colombo, and its suburbs on Monday as heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the island nation.

Heavy downpours over the weekend have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, flooding homes, fields and roads. Three people drowned, while some 134,000 people have been affected by flooding, according to the country's Disaster Management Center.

The center said rains and floods have damaged 240 houses and nearly 7,000 people have been evacuated. Authorities have cut electricity in some areas as a precaution.

Navy and army troops have been deployed to rescue victims and provide food and other essentials.

Local television channels showed flooded towns in the suburbs of Colombo. In some areas, waters reached the roofs of houses and shops.

Sri Lanka has been grappling with severe weather conditions since May, mostly caused by heavy monsoon rains. In June, 16 people died due to floods and mudslides.

A man buys groceries in his flooded neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man wades through his flooded neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man stands by his flooded house in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man sits on a catamaran next to a damaged house in a flooded area in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A boy plays with a makeshift raft at a flooded neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man pushes his motorbike along a flooded road in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man wades through his flooded neighborhood in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A woman stands outside her submerged house due to floods in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man wades through water outside his flooded house in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Children play in a flooded street in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

People takes shelter as it rains while others wade through a flooded street in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A man reaches for a safe place as it rains in a flooded street in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

MILAN (AP) — Norwegian cyclist Fredrik Dversnes claimed the biggest victory of his career as he won the 15th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday, while Jonas Vingegaard remained in the overall lead heading into the final week.

Dversnes won from a four-man breakaway that escaped early on the flat 157-kilometer (98-mile) route that started in Voghera and ended with four laps of the finishing circuit in Milan.

The Uno-X Mobility rider edged out his fellow escapees by almost a bicycle length, with Mirco Maestri finishing second and Martin Marcellusi third.

It is the first Giro for Dversnes and his team.

“Super good help from the other guys in the breakaway … They were really, really strong today,” Dversnes said. "I knew I had good opportunities because I’m pretty good at going in breakaways, so this was my big shot.

“I’ve been joking this year that I will try to trick the peloton in one of these sprint stages, so I really wanted to do that and prove that, so super glad to make it. It's big. It’s a really big and incredible feeling.”

Vingegaard, who had seized control of the race on Saturday, finished safely in the peloton to maintain his overall advantage of 2:26 over Afonso Eulálio, with Felix Gall 24 seconds further back.

The race jury decided to neutralize Sunday's stage for the last lap after several riders — including Vingegaard — complained about the road surface and the placing of the barriers. The overall times were taken at the last passage under the finish arch, before the start of the last lap.

“Maybe today was not the most safe road, so to speak, but we tried to speak with the organization and they really listened to us,” Vingegaard said. “So I want to thank the organization as well for listening to what we had to say today.”

Monday sees the Giro’s third and final rest day before Tuesday’s brutal 16th stage. The 113-kilometer route from Bellinzona includes five classified climbs, including the top-category slog to the finish in Carì.

The Giro ends on May 31 in Rome.

The women’s Giro from May 30-June 7 will be defended by Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard wears the pink jersey of the race overall leader as he stands on the podium after completing the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Norway's Fredrik Dversnes Lavik, left, celebrates winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Norway's Fredrik Dversnes Lavik celebrates winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Pink jersey Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, center, pedals during Stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

The pack of riders pedals during the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard wearing the pink jersey of the race overall leader, waves to fans ahead of the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)