Weather: TOO WET FOR SOME, TOO DRY FOR OTHERS
Several districts in the country were reported to be affected by heavy showers, while others were hit by drought, depriving the people of water.
According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), the districts
of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Batticaloa andTrincomalee were affected by drought, with about 4000 families affected in Jaffna, 1600 families in Kilinochchi, 6000 families in Trincomalee, 21,700 families in Batticaloa and 31,000 families in Ampara.
The districts of Galle, Matara, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Colombo and Kalutara were affected by heavy showers.
Eighteen families have been affected in the Nuwara Eliya District, 108 families in Badulla, 92 families in Matara, 93 families in Galle and 43 families in Colombo.
Landslide and rockfall warnings have been issued --by the Disaster Management Centre -- in the Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Hambantota Districts. People in Galle and Matara Districts were asked to be vigilant as the water levels of Gin Ganga and Nilwala Ganga were rising.
Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology has predicted heavy showers which might exceed 100mm in many parts of the country. Localised strong winds were also predicted during thundershowers. It requested the general public to take adequate precautions against lightning.
The Kokmaduwa entrance of the Southern Highway went under water last afternoon.Awoman named Dilruwani Rasika, age 39, was electrocuted when she stepped on a live wire which had fallen due to the strong winds. School attendance in Matara and Galle was low.
Several Navy boats and life saving squads had been dispatched to Yakkalamulla in Galle District as the flood situation worsened.
According to reports, 14 houses were destroyed and 52 partly damaged due to floods.