Twelve dead, thousands displaced as torrential rains continue
COLOMBO – The adverse weather prevailing in Sri Lanka since October 29 has claimed eleven lives, five of them over the past 24 hours, affected over 28,000 people, and will likely continue, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Tuesday (9).
Deputy Director DMC, Pradeep Kodippili, told reporters on Tuesday that Rambukkana in the Kegalle district had recorded three deaths due to a landslide, while two deaths were reported from Giriulla and Mallavi areas due to a drowning incident and a landslide.
Five people have also been reported injured.
Torrential downpours have been reported in many parts of the island, with the Kurunegala, Colombo, Kegalle, Monaragala, Gampaha and Kalutara districts having experienced over 100mm of rain over the 24-hour period ending Tuesday.
Though a decrease in rainfall has been observed, the DMC said heavy rain will continue for the next 24 hours.
The DMC said 17 districts encompassing 93 division secretariats have been affected, and 13 houses have been completely destroyed while 802 houses have been damaged affected 28,263 individuals. Over 113 families are sheltering in 13 relief centres set up by the DMC.
The Department of Meteorology meanwhile said very heavy showers, over 150mm, are likely in parts of the Northern, North-Western, Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and in the Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy districts. Heavy showers of about 100mm can be expected in parts of Matale, Polonnaruwa, Galle and Matara districts.
It also warned that a low-pressure area formed in the south-east Bay of Bengal was likely to intensify further into a depression during the next 36 hours and move closer to the North coast of Sri Lanka, bringing very heavy showers or thundershowers. Warning of strong winds up to (60-70) kmph and rough seas around the island, the Met Department advised naval and fishing communities not to venture to the South-west Bay of Bengal sea area, or deep and shallow sea areas around the island until further notice. It also advised those who are already in the South-west Bay of Bengal sea regions to return to coasts or move to safer areas as soon as possible.
The DMC said landslide warnings that were issued on Monday (8) will continue to hold until further notice, while the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) issued Level 1 and Level 2 warnings to several areas, including district secretariat divisions in Badulla, Colombo, Kalutara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Matale, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunegala and Galle
The DMC also warned that due to water level increase in the Kelani River, residents living in low lying areas in Dehiowita, Ruwanwella, Seethawaka, Dompe, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Kolonnawa, Colombo and Waththala could experience minor floods in the next 6-12 hours.
Meanwhile, the Irrigation Department issued a red notice for low lying areas near Maha Oya, noting that the water levels at the upstream areas have risen extensively and waring there is a high possibility of a major flood situation in the low-lying areas of the Maha Oya valley in Alawwa, Diwulapitiya, Meerigama, Pannala, Wennappuwa, Negambo, Katana, Narammala and Dankotuwa divisional secretariat divisions.
-EN/ENCL