Over 100,000 people belonging to 33,000 families have been affected due to heavy rains experienced in North Central (NC), Eastern and Uva Provinces as of yesterday evening.
According to the Disaster Management Centre, three persons have been reported dead and another reported missing following the incessant rains experienced in these provinces. The Centre said that hundreds of persons have been relocated to safety locations.
A 23-year-old woman died following the collapsing of a wall in the 70-acre area in Hingurakgoda due to the continuous rains.
The Police said that the young mother, her one-and-a-half-year-old toddler, and her husband had been injured in the incident that occurred at their residence early morning, yesterday (11).
The wall had collapsed while the family was asleep and later they had been admitted to the Hingurakgoda Hospital where the young woman had succumbed to her injuries.
Her 25-year-old husband and daughter have been transferred to the Polonnaruwa Hospital for further treatment.
The Hingurakgoda Police is conducting further investigations into the incident.
Several train services have been suspended due to flooding as a result of the heavy rains experienced yesterday. The Railway Department said that two night-mail trains scheduled between Batticaloa and Colombo yesterday have been cancelled.
The express train (Udaya Devi) plying from Colombo Fort to Trincomalee via Batticaloa and the train from Batticaloa to Colombo today (12) have also been suspended.
The capacity of the Senanayaka Samudraya reached its peak as of 4.00 pm on Wednesday (10), causing a spillway discharge thereafter and the 24-hour Amber warning Level 2 issued by the Disaster Management Centre has been extended for a further 24 hours till today.
The public and motorists using the downstream areas of the Gal Oya are requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by floods. Especially, the people who are living in the low-line areas of Polwaththa, Pahalalanda, Irakkamam, Akkaraipattu, Addalachchenai, Alayadiwembu, Sammanthurai, Karthiv, Ninthavur, Sainthamarudu and Kalmunai and vehicle drivers running through those areas should be vigilant.
All faculties of the South Eastern University in Oluvil, Ampara, have been closed until further notice. However, the Applied Sciences Faculty will remain open as it is located away from the flood-affected area.
The closure has been announced by the University Grants Commission due to flooding in the area.
The bridge across the Galathura River situated near the Galathura Market on the Kottabandawa – Dimiyawa road coming under the Galathura Grama Niladhari Division of Ayagama Divisional Secretariat completely collapsed at around 5.30 pm yesterday (11) resulting in transportation across the river being completely disrupted, the Disaster Manangement Centre said.
As a result of the ongoing flood situation, the Deegawapi sacred area has been inundated. Reports indicate that the area surrounding the temple, including the path leading to the shrine, is currently submerged.
Motorists operating vehicles on the roads that have experienced sinkholes, have also been duly advised to exercise caution.
An aerial view of the Deegavapi sacred area which has been inundated as a result of floods. Pix Wasantha Chandrapala Digamadulla Corr.
Govt institutions, Forces assist flood victims
GCE A/L Exams will not be disrupted
Varuna Dayaratne
The Government has taken all necessary measures to provide all required assistance to those affected by the ongoing floods experienced in many parts of the country due to heavy rains.
Disaster Management Centre Media Director Pradeep Kodippili told the Daily News yesterday that those who have been displaced and lost their homes have been relocated to nearby temporary safe locations and will be provided with essential needs including food, medicine and clothing.
The Police, Army, Navy and Air Force are involved in the rescue operations and providing all necessary relief to the flood victims, besides the other government institutions, such as the Disaster Management Centre.
The Police, Army and other government institutions with necessary equipment are on standby in every district in the country to transport students sitting for the GCE Advanced Level Examination to alternative examination centres and back to their homes, in case the official venues get affected by floods. This was recently done in the Polonnaruwa District by the Government involving the Police and Army when the examination centres were affected by floods. The students were taken to newly allocated venues nearby to sit for their exam papers without any disruptions or delays caused.
