COLOMBO – Ceaseless rains exceeding 100 millimetres were reported from across Sri Lanka through the day Tuesday (31), greatly inconveniencing people still stuck in queues for essential supplies in parts of the country.
Though there has been a significant drop in queues for cooking gas and fuel around the island, media reports showed long queues of people waiting for essentials in the pouring rain in Badulla, Polonnaruwa, Nuwara Eliya and Hatton. Angry consumers were heard venting their frustrations to TV camera crews reporting on the situation.
The extreme weather conditions also prompted the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) to issue flood and landslide warnings to several areas.
DMC Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili said Tuesday afternoon that heavy rains were recorded in Kalutara, Galle, Neluwa and Thawalama areas exceeding 100mm during in the preceding 24-hour period.
“The Meteorology Department has announced that the prevailing conditions will continue in the North Western, Western and Central provinces, and the Galle and Matara districts,” Kodippili said in a statement.
Citing Irrigation Department data, he said water levels were rising in Kalu Ganga, Ging Ganga, Nilwala Ganga and Attanagalu Oya due to the continuous rainfall. He said residents living in proximity to the rivers have been advised to be vigilant of possible flood situations.
Kodippili said, due to the rising water levels, two sluice gates of the Deduru Oya have been opened.
In a separate statement, the Irrigation Department said considerable rainfall has occurred in most of catchment areas of Aththanagalu Oya Basin as of 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, and that there was a possibility of flooding in the low-lying areas of Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys located in the Gampaha, Attanagalla, Mirigama, Ja-ela and Wattala D/S Divisions.
The Department urged residents and motorists going through the area to pay close attention to the development, and also requested the disaster management authorities to take adequate precautions in this regard.
Floods are also likely in low-lying areas of the Nilwala Ganga valley in Pasgoda, Kotapola, Pitabeddara, Akuressa, Athuraliya, Malimbada, Thihagoda, Matara and Devinuwara D/S Divisions, the Department warned.
Meanwhile, the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology issued a 24-hour heavy rains ‘red’ alert valid until 10:00 a.m. Wednesday (June 1), warning that strong gusty winds up to 40-50 kmph with heavy showers above 100 mm will occur at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and in Galle, Matara and Puttalam districts.
Attributing the heavy rains and strong winds to active south-west monsoon conditions, the Department urged people living in hilly areas (particularly landslide prone areas) and low lying areas in river basins, drivers and people using roads in the hilly areas to be vigilant.
It also urged residents across to country to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity; beware of fallen trees and power lines and be alert on the advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology.
-economynext.com/ENCL
