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Contrasting and chaotic weather patterns continue islandwide
View(s):The contrasting weather patterns are causing chaos, with some areas experiencing heavy thundershowers and others getting little rain while still others are plagued by the prolonged drought.
Heavy rains in Galle flood roads, while strong winds bring down a majestic tree in Colombo 7 (below left)
The Meteorological Department duty officer Kasun Pasqual said some parts of the island would experience heavy thundershowers in the next two to three days with a rainfall of about 50 to 100 mm.
He said thundershowers would hit the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces, the Galle and Matara districts, and certain parts of the North Western Province.
“The heavy showers were the result of the wind speed in the Bay of Bengal increasing due to a cyclonic condition in the ocean.
Mr. Pasqual warned the wind speed was likely to increase up to 60 to 70 kmph. He said the second inter monsoon season was expected by the end of this month and the drought-stricken areas were likely to receive substantial rain.
He explained that 30 percent of the rainfall received in the country was during the second inter monsoon season. Last year Sri Lanka did not experience the second inter monsoon season and this led to one of the worst ever droughts.
Irrigation Director W.B. Palugaswewa said the 73 major irrigation reservoirs in Sri Lanka were filled upto only 15 percent of their water capacity, a slight increase from the previous 13 percent.
He said the reservoir levels needed to go up to at least 30 percent to for cultivation to start. However, he said next month’s monsoon rains would be sufficient to cultivate 750,000 acres of land.
Pix by Sirangika Lokukarawita, Indika Handuwala, Augustin Fernando and Karuwalagaswewa Jayaratne
Residents of drought-hit Karuwalagaswewa digging for Nelum Ala
Rains in Chilaw