Southwest monsoon forecast to make a storm
Strong winds and thundershowers to continue
Strong, gusty winds will continue over the weekend, the Meteorology Department warns. Southwest monsoon conditions are gradually establishing over the island and showers can be expected in the southwest and southern parts of the island, a spokesperson for the department said.
Duty Meteorologist ( Forecasting) Kasun Pasquel said they expect thunderstorms to occur these days due to the southwest monsoon conditions gradually establishing over the island. He said severe lightning and temporarily strong gusty winds up to 70kmph or 80kmph might also be experienced during the thundershowers, although Cyclone Yaas had passed over the island, and continued towards India.
The wind speed will be 40-50kmph in the seas around the island, and it can increase up to 60-70kmph in the sea areas extending from Beruwala to Pottuvil via Galle and Hambantota. The sea areas extending from Beruwala to Pottuvil via Galle and Hambantota will be rough at times, the department spokesperson said. Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant.
A spokesperson for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said 177,000 electricity consumers have lost power in many areas of the island, as a result of the gale winds and heavy rains experienced during the week.
The electricity supply in Matale, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Kalutara and Matara was interrupted due to the weather conditions, Power and Renewable Energy Ministry Media Spokesman Sulakshana Jayawardane said.
Power outages were also reported in parts of the Colombo District. Authorities are currently in the process of restoring the supply and only 9800 more houses remain to be reinstated, Mr Jayawardane said.
He said if the rains do not continue, then power throughout the island will be restored in a day.
Many other districts experienced heavy rainfall and stormy weather conditions. Power transmission networks were damaged and trees were uprooted in certain areas, a spokesperson for the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.
Almost 40,000 people across 14 districts were affected and 287 homes were damaged mostly in the Ratnapura, Gampaha, Galle, Matara and Kandy districts, they said.
Cyclone Yaas was expected to impact Sri Lanka on May 24, and it was anticipated that damage to buildings and infrastructure and flooding would take place in coastal areas of the island.
The Ratnapura district in the Sabaragamuwa province suffered the worst damages from the storm and 4218 people were affected.