Three dead, hundreds displaced as heavy rains trigger floods and landslides across Sri Lanka

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By Editor_1

Fourteen major reservoirs overflowing as landslide warnings issued for ten districts; authorities urge vigilance as adverse weather expected to continue

COLOMBO – At least three people have been killed and more than 500 displaced as severe weather conditions continue to batter multiple regions across Sri Lanka, triggering flash floods, landslides, and widespread disruption, authorities confirmed on Monday (20).

The deaths occurred in separate incidents across three districts over the past two days, with victims succumbing to drowning and landslide-related injuries as heavy rainfall overwhelmed communities ill-prepared for the intensity of the deluge.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported that 585 people from 144 families across three districts have been directly affected by the adverse weather, while 111 houses have sustained partial damage. With forecasters warning the rains will intensify in coming days, authorities fear the casualty count and displacement figures could rise further.

The first fatality occurred Monday in Thambuttegama, Anuradhapura district, where an individual was swept away by a flash flood triggered by torrential rainfall. Despite rescue efforts, the victim could not be saved.

In Peradeniya, a 72-year-old man died after being buried alive when an earth embankment collapsed onto him as he walked near a canal. The landslide, triggered by rainfall-saturated soil, gave the elderly man no chance to escape.

The third victim, a 54-year-old man from Ruwanwella, drowned after falling into a swollen canal while attempting to cross a footbridge during heavy rainfall. The incident highlights the dangers posed by rising water levels in what are normally manageable water crossings.

The crisis has been compounded by widespread overflow of major irrigation tanks across the country’s North Central and North Western Provinces, raising fears of downstream flooding in densely populated areas.

H.M.P.S.D. Herath, Director of Irrigation (Water Management), confirmed Monday that fourteen major reservoirs have reached capacity and are now overflowing, forcing authorities to open sluice gates to release excess water.

“We have opened sluice gates at several reservoirs and are urging all residents living downstream to remain extremely vigilant,” Herath stated. “The volume of water being released is substantial, and communities in low-lying areas must be prepared for rapid water level increases.”

The affected reservoirs span multiple districts in the North Central and North Western Provinces, regions that serve as the backbone of Sri Lanka’s agricultural irrigation network. While the rainfall benefits long-term water security, the immediate flooding threat poses serious risks to downstream communities, livestock, and standing crops.

Adding to concerns, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) issued landslide early warnings for ten districts effective from 8:30p.m. Monday until 8:30p.m. Tuesday (21), based on cumulative rainfall data and meteorological forecasts indicating continued heavy precipitation.

The Landslide Research and Risk Management Division has placed multiple Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DSD) under three-tiered alert levels. These include Red Alert (level 3 – high risk) for six DSDs in Kegalle district; Amber Alert (level 2 – moderate risk) for 10 DSDs across Kandy and Kegalle districts and Yellow Alert (level 1 – low risk) for multiple divisions across Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Kalutara, Kurunegala, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura districts.

The NBRO has specifically warned residents in mountainous regions and areas with man-made cut slopes, common in road construction and urban development, to exercise extreme caution. All areas previously identified as landslide-prone by the organization require special vigilance.

The warning period extends until 8:30 p.m. Tuesday unless revised or extended based on evolving conditions.

More Heavy Rainfall Expected

The Department of Meteorology has forecast heavy rainfall will continue across the island over the coming days, owing to weather systems bringing moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal having stalled over Sri Lankan territory, creating conditions for sustained, heavy precipitation particularly affecting the central highlands and western slopes.

-ENCL

Editor_1
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