230,743 persons in 141 DS Divisions across 18 districts affected:
Bodies of four schoolchildren recovered:
Landslide warnings for 10 districts :
24-hour hotlines, dedicated hotline for Tamil-speaking people:
A total of 230,743 persons from 66,947 families in 141 Divisional Secretariat (DS) Divisions across 18 districts have been severely affected due to the prevailing turbulent weather conditions in the country.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) stated that four deaths and nine injuries have been reported so far, while six persons are reported missing. A total of 15,586 persons have been shifted to 165 temporary shelters.
So far, eight houses have been completely destroyed and 620 houses have been partially damaged due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions around the country.
Relief has been provided to a group of foreign tourists who were affected by the floods in the Arugambay area by the Navy relief operations assigned to the Ampara district. A bridge has collapsed in the Oluvil-Kalioda area resulting in traffic on the Akkaraipattu – Kalmunai road being disrupted.
Bodies of four schoolchildren out of the six who went missing after a tractor was swept away in flood waters in Karaitivu in the Ampara district, were recovered yesterday (27) in search operations jointly conducted by the Police Lifeguards and Navy and Army personnel.
Five out of 11 schoolchildren who were traveling in a tractor were rescued on Tuesday after the tractor toppled over and was swept away in floodwaters on a bridge near the Karaitivu bus stand on Tuesday evening, while two schoolchildren, the driver and assistant are still missing after the incident, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said.
The Police Spokesman advised motorists to refrain from using roads if visibility is poor due to floods, fog or adverse weather as it could lead to death and disaster.
The Sri Lanka Police has set up a 24-hour operation center at the Police Headquarters to facilitate the public to contact and coordinate by communicating on any disaster incidents across the country. The public can contact the center through the hotlines 0112027148, 0112472757, 0112430912 or 0112013051 or via the email [email protected].
A special hotline 107 has been also introduced by the Police which is dedicated to Tamil-speaking people who are in need of any emergency assistance during the prevailing turbulent weather conditions.
Thalduwa further said that red alerts for landslides have been issued in several areas in three districts and advised people living in those areas to leave their homes immediately for the safety of their lives. He said that it is most likely that there will be heavy rainfall on the eastern and western slopes of the Central hill country which could result in landslides in the Kandy district in Harispattuwa, Medadumbara, Gangawatakoralaya, Ududumbara, Doluwa, Yatinuwara, Udapalatha, Pathahewaheta, Delthota and Pathadumbara.
The prevailing deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal was forecasted to intensify into a cyclonic storm by yesterday (27) night by the Meteorology Department. With the deep depression, thundershowers above 150 mm are likely at some places in the Northern, North Central, Central, Western and North Western Provinces and in the Trincomalee and Kegalle districts. Showers will occur elsewhere in the country too with fairly heavy showers above 75 mm likely in some places.
People living in the Matale district in Wilgamuwa, Ambagamuwa, Ambagamuwa Korale, Rattota, Naula and Ukuwela and in the Nuwaral Eliya district in the Walapane area have been also advised to leave their homes immediately to safe locations as red alerts of possible landslides have been issued to these areas as well.
The Police Spokesman advised people not to try and pick up items in the house that have washed away in the water as it may result in their losing their lives. Children should also not play in the floodwaters.
He requested parents to look after the children and if their houses are affected by disaster to go to the safety camps. He assured them that they will do their best to protect the houses. Drone cameras are in operation doing everything possible to protect the affected people from thieves. He emphasised that the most crucial thing that the affected people should do in these areas is to pay attention to the red alerts on landslides in the Central mountains and immediately leave their houses from the danger zones to safety camps.
Thalduwa added that there is a lot of moisture in the mountains. He warned motorists traveling in hilly areas not to move vehicles close to the mountain edges and for bus drivers to pay attention when overtaking in the mountain areas.
The DMC urged those who require emergency assistance due to inclement weather conditions to contact its emergency hotline 117 or through its other hotlines 0112136222 or 0112670002.
The Somawathiya Shrine in Polonnaruwa has been submerged and the DMC has informed devotees that they cannot visit the shrine at present and to visit only after the floodwaters cede.
With the bad weather conditions affecting the country, four sluice gates of the Victoria Dam have been opened automatically and due to this, 327 cubic metres of water has been released into the Randenigala Reservoir per second.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings to ten districts effective yesterday for the next 24 hours. Accordingly, red alerts have been issued to some areas of the Kandy, Matale, and Nuwara Eliya districts. Amber alerts have been issued for some areas of the Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, and Nuwara Eliya districts and yellow alerts have been issued to some areas of the Badulla, Galle, Kalutara, Kegalle, Matara, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura districts. The NBRO has issued landslide warnings due to the heavy rainfall experienced in these districts.
The Irrigation Department said that 37 out of 73 main tanks in the country are currently reaching spill level and most of their sluice gates have been opened with water capacity exceeding 77 percent.
The Irrigation Department has warned of the possibility of floods and flash floods in the low-lying areas of Kala Oya in Nochchiyagama, Rajanganaya, Vanathavilluwa and Karuwalagaswewa District Secretariat Divisions within the next 48 hours. Residents and motorists have been advised to remain vigilant of floods due to the prevalent turbulent weather conditions in the country.
The Irrigation Department has further warned of minor floods in several areas, including Colombo, due to the rise in the water levels of the Kelani River. According to the Irrigation Department, minor flood warnings are in effect for the next 48 hours. Flood warnings have been issued to the Seethawaka, Dompe, Homagama, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Kolonnawa, Colombo, and Wattala Divisional Secretariat areas and residents and motorists have been urged to remain vigilant.
Flood warnings have been also issued to several areas due to the rising water levels of the Kelani, Nilwala, and Mahaweli Rivers, and the Yan, Malwathu, Deduru, and Maha Oyas as a result of heavy rains experienced across the island.
Due to heavy rainfall received in some areas of the Anuradhapura, Vauniya and Mannar districts yesterday, a warning has been issued of the possibility of floods in the low-lying areas around the Malwathu Oya situated near the Mahawilachchiya, Vengalacheddikulam, Nanaddan, Mussalai and Madhu District Secretariat Divisions.
The Irrigation Department has further warned that the rate of water released from Deduru Oya, Rajanganaya, Kawdulla, Yan, and Parakrama reservoirs may increase today due to the heavy rainfall reported in several areas. Residents and motorists have been requested to remain vigilant of floods.
Night mail trains on the upcountry railway line have been cancelled today due to adverse weather conditions experienced across Sri Lanka. The Railway Department said that yesterday’s night mail train from Colombo-Fort to Badulla and from Badulla to Colombo-Fort was cancelled. The cancellation was due to various incidents reported along the upcountry railway line due to bad weather. The Department added that train services will operate only until the Nanu-Oya Railway Station yesterday as well.
Train operations on the Batticaloa Railway line had also been disrupted yesterday morning. The Railway Department said that train services on the Batticaloa railway line had been disrupted due to flooding. Train services along the Kelani Valley railway line were also disrupted yesterday and the Railway Department said the disruption was due to a technical issue with a train plying from Avissawella to Colombo-Fort.
Roadblocks in several areas were reported as a result of the inclement weather experienced in different parts of the country. The Police said the A-9 Road to Jaffna is flooded at Omanthai and requested motorists to use alternative roads via Kebithigollewa, Welioya, Mullaitivu, and Paranthan, or through Medawachchiya, Chettikulam, and Mannar to reach Jaffna.
Traffic has been affected in the area near the Minuwangoda Bridge along the Padeniya- Anuradhapura road due to flooding. A fallen tree has blocked the Anuradhapura-Colombo Road at Sirambiady, Puttalam and efforts were underway to remove the tree. The collapse of a bridge at Oluvil, Kalladi has disrupted traffic along the Akkaraipattu- Kalmunai Road. Motorists have been requested to take alternative routes and to remain vigilant of disasters due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions.
