COLOMBO– The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology on Sunday (11) issued a strong winds and rough sea areas advisory for deep and shallow sea areas extending from Puttalam to Pottuvil via Colombo and Hambantota, for the 24-hour period ending at 2.00 p.m. Monday (12).
Backed by an ‘amber’ alert, the advisory urged the public, especially fishermen, to ‘PLEASE BE AWARE’, and warned of wind speeds increasing up to 60 to 70kmph in the deep and shallow sea areas from Puttalam to Pottuvil, and fairly rough seas around the island.
The advisory specifically informed fishermen it would be dangerous to venture into sea areas in the 24-hours up to 2.00 p.m. Monday, and urged naval communities to be vigilant in this regard.
The Met Department also warned of very strong gusty winds up to 60 -70 kmph over the western slopes of the central hills and in the Western, Sabaragamuwa Provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts.
The weather forecast issued at 12.00 noon Sunday, said showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces, with fairly heavy showers about 50 mm expected at some places. Several spells of showers will occur in Western and North-Western Provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts, it added.
-ENCL