More rains, says Met Dept. while issuing flood and landslide warnings
The Met Department has warned that the prevailing showery conditions will increase over most of the island due to a low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka associated with easterly waves.
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an advisory for heavy rains in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Northwestern, and Eastern Provinces and in the Nuwara-Eliya and Polonnaruwa districts.
The Met Department said heavy showers above 100 mm are likely in some areas.
The public has been asked to take precautionary measures in view of the prevailing wet conditions.
On Friday, Colombo received heavy rainfall. Maximum rainfall has been recorded at 126.6 mm from Mattala.
Level 2 amber landslide warnings were issued for divisional secretariats in Badulla, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Matara, and Ratnapura districts, while Level 1 warnings were issued for Galle, Kurunegala, Matale, and Nuwra Eliya.
NBRO senior scientist Dr. Wasantha Senadheera said the public should remain vigilant about the threat of possible landslides. Residents living in landslide-prone areas have been asked to be prepared to evacuate if heavy rains continue.
Kalutara Disaster Management Unit Assistant Director, M.P.S. Perera, requested that the public in Kalutara district be on alert for flash floods.
One sluice gate of the Kukule Ganga reservoir was opened, with a water capacity of 25 m3/s cubic metres per second being released. Residents living in the vicinity have been asked to be vigilant about possible minor flooding.
A number of roads were inundated due to torrential rain experienced in Bulathsinhala and Madurawala.
Meanwhile, the Navy has deployed
troops in Parakramapura, Padaviya, in Anuradhapura since December 3 to provide assistance to those affected by the inclement weather.
More than 7000 people from 2271 families from nine districts across the country have been affected by the prevailing weather conditions.