A young Australian woman is believed to have been raped during a trip to a coastal town in southern Sri Lanka.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) did not give details of the incident but says it is in contact with a young woman in the south Asian nation.

“We are providing consular assistance to a young Australian woman in Sri Lanka,” a spokeswoman told AAP on Monday.

“The individual seeks privacy at this time.”

Local news site ColomboPage reports the woman told police in the southern town of Ambalangoda that she had been raped on a beach by a tourist guide.

The site reports she was in the country as part of a 15-strong study group from the Australian National University (ANU).

“The Ambalangoda Police says the suspect has fled the area and investigations are underway island wide to arrest him and to produce him before the court,” the site reported.

An ANU spokesman said the university was aware of media reports and was investigating the incident.