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Sluice gates opened as tanks reach spill level
View(s):Sluice gates of almost all irrigation tanks have been opened as water levels were reaching spill level yesterday, a senior officer of the Irrigation Department said.
The Director of Irrigation (Drainage and flood Systems ) K Sivapalasundram said they are on alert for possible overflowing as well as leakage of tanks.
He said, the Meteorology Department had warned that there would be more rain towards the end of this month and there were fears of flooding once again as the water volume in most of the tanks had reached above 80 percent of its capacity.
The Parakrama Samudraya, Inginimitiya, Thabbowa, Daduru oya, Rajangana, Kaudulla, Weheragala, Lunugamwehera, Murthawela, Senanayaka Samudraya and Nuwara Wewa were some of the tanks where spill gates were opened.
Meanwhile The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned of earthslips in the Badulla District.
DMC Director General L.B.R. Mark said people in Polonnaruwa and Hambantota were experiencing floods due to increase in rainfall as well as due to opening of sluice gates.
Among some of the main roads affected by flood waters were the Puttalam -Mannar Road at Eluwankulam, the Polonnaruwa – Batticaloa Road at Manampitiya, the Polonnaruwa – Somawathi Road at Sungawila. and several areas from Tangalle to Hambantota.
Meanwhile, heavy rains exceeding 100 mm were expected in some parts of the country later today as the atmospheric disturbance was still persisting, an official of the Meteorology Department said.
Showers or thundershowers would also occur over most parts of the island particularly in the afternoon, he said, adding that the sea in areas extending from Trincomalee to Colombo via Kankesanthurai and Mannar would be fairly rough with winds of 50-60 kmph.