A total of 77,670 persons from 22,532 families have been severely affected due to the prevalent inclement weather conditions experienced across 15 districts in the country so far.
A total of 16 injuries have been reported with 06 people gone missing with 06 houses completely damaged and 265 houses partially damaged so far due to the flash floods
experienced in the country from the adverse weather conditions. Eleven persons have been injured with 06 gone missing including 05 children after a tractor that they were traveling in overturned on a bridge in Kavadi Church area in Karaitivu and were caught in flash floods yesterday evening. Five of them have been rescued safely and search and rescue operations are underway to find the 06 missing persons.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that the Army, Navy and security forces are involved in providing relief and evacuating them from disaster areas to safety zones. As of 06.00 am yesterday, 2,770 persons from 821 families have been relocated to 35 safety shelters and one female was reported dead in the Bandarawela area yesterday.
Continuing heavy rains in most parts of the country especially in the Eastern, Northern, North Central, Uva provinces, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts have affected daily life with heavy damages caused by earth slips and trees fallen on houses, roads, electricity poles, disrupting regular road traffic and paddy fields and crops getting flooded as well as farmers suffering from not being able to sell their vegetables at the economic centres.
Obstructions and delays have been caused to train services on the up-country line due to landslides as a result of the prevailing inclement weather conditions where landslides and earth slips have been reported on the railway line between Badulla and Bandarawela which resulted in train services operating only until the Nanu-Oya Railway station, according to the Railway Department.
In any type of emergency due to natural disasters from the prevailing adverse weather conditions, the DMC can be contacted on their emergency hotlines 117 or 011-3668020. The Department of Meteorology (MET) has issued a red notice requesting people to be alert for deep and shallow sea areas and land around the country as the depression in the Southwest Bay of Bengal has developed into a deep depression.
Due to the influence of this inclement weather condition, the sky will be heavy with clouds in most parts of the island and very heavy rains and strong winds can be expected in the North, North Central, East, Uva, North West and Central provinces. The highest rainfall was recorded in the Eastern province in the last 24 hours.
There will be occasional showers and thundershowers that may occur in most parts of the island. Heavy rains of more than 200 mm may occur in some places in the North, North Central, Eastern, Central, Uva and Southern provinces and in the Puttalam District. Heavy rains of more than 100 mm may occur at several places elsewhere in the island.
The public is requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers. The Naval and fishing communities are warned not to venture to the deep and shallow sea areas around the island until further notice. The Met Department said showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the sea areas around the country and the sea areas will be rough to very rough at times. Swell waves about 2.5 to 3.0 meters in height may increase in the sea areas off the coast that will extend from Batticaloa to Kankasanthurai via Trincomalee. Winds will be north-easterly directed in the sea areas around the island. The wind speed will be 40 to 50 kmph which can increase to 60 to 70 kmph at times in the sea areas around the country. Temporary strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings to a large number of divisional secretariats in 10 districts within the next 24 hours from yesterday evening. Level 2 landslide early warning alerts have been issued to the Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, and Nuwara Eliya districts while Level 1 landslide early warning alerts have been issued to the Galle, Matara, Kalutara and Ratnapura districts. There is a threat of floods in the low-lying areas of the Deduru Oya valley and people are urged to be vigilant, according to the Department of Irrigation. A flood situation in low-lying areas around Heda Oya situated in Siyambalanduwa and Lahugala Divisional Secretariat Divisions is possible due to heavy rainfall experienced in some areas of Ampara and Moneragala districts within the last 24 hours.
Due to heavy rainfall experienced yesterday in some areas of the Mahaweli catchment, there is a possibility of a flood situation in the low-lying areas around the Mahaweli River located in Dimbulagala, Echchilampattai, Hingurakgoda, Kantalai, Kinniya, Koralai Pattu North, Lankapura, Medirigiriya, Muttur, Seruwila, Thamankaduwa, Thampalakamam and Welikanda Divisional Secretariat Divisions and the residents and motorists have been warned to stay vigilant. A major flood was reported in the Padiyathalawa area due to a rise in the water levels of the Maduru Oya, while a minor flood situation has been reported in the Thalagahagoda area due to a rise in the water levels of the Nilwala River. Flood alerts have been issued to the Panadugama area due to the Nilwala River, the Thaldena area due to the Mahaweli River and the Horowpathana area due to the Yan Oya.
Meanwhile, with the heavy rains, the Nuwara Eliya- Kandapola main road has also been flooded. The DMC stated that some parts of the Nuwara Eliya city including the Racecourse and Victoria Park have also been flooded.According to the Irrigation Department, the water level of the 73 main reservoirs across the island has exceeded 65 percent due to the heavy rainfall and sluice gates have been opened of several reservoirs in the island due to the heavy rains. Due to this, 23 of the 73 reservoirs and most of the medium-sized tanks in the island are currently being drained. The water capacity of the reservoirs in the districts of Ampara, Anuradhapura, Badulla and Batticaloa has so far exceeded 50 percent. Also, more than 80 percent water capacity has been recorded in Hambantota, Galle, Kandy, Kurunegala and Moneragala districts. The water capacity of Polonnaruwa and Puttalam districts is close to 70 percent and the water capacity of Trincomalee and Mannar districts is close to 45 percent.
With the increase in the water level of the Mahaweli River, six sluice gates of the Naula- Bowathanna Reservoir have been opened yesterday morning and the people on both sides of the Amban River which leads to Moragahakanda have been cautioned to be vigilant. With the heavy rains, the water levels in the Castlereagh and the Maussakelle Reservoirs have also reached the spill level. The water capacity of the reservoirs in the districts of Ampara, Anuradhapura, Badulla and Batticaloa has so far exceeded 50 percent. Also, more than 80 percent water capacity has been recorded in Hambantota, Galle, Kandy, Kurunegala and Moneragala districts.
Six flights have been diverted from the Bandaranaike International Airport due to bad weather yesterday. Airport sources said that three flights have been diverted to the Mattala International Airport and the other three were diverted to Trivandrum in India.
