News
Heavy rain continues; disaster warning issued in several areas
Parts of Sri Lanka will be hit by heavy showers in the next two days as floods claimed the lives of threepeople and left around 30,000 displaced.
The 40 passengers in a bus stuck in flood waters in Madampitiya being rescued by security forces
The Meteorology Department predicted that North, East, Central, North Central, Uva provinces and Hambantota could be hit by thunder showers at any time of the day.
Duty Forecaster Janaka Kumara told the Sunday Times that other areas of the country could be hit by thunder showers in the evenings. He said strong winds could also develop with the evening rains. He therefore advised people to take precautions if they had plans to go shopping for the season during evening hours.
Mr Kumara said that since heavy rains were predicted people living near water catchment areas in the Central Province and the North Central Province to be vigilant. This is because even a slight rain could cause the tanks to spill over and result in floods. He also advised people living in landslide prone areas to take precautions as heavy rains could make the situation worse. 
Irrigation Department Director General S Mohanaraja said the Department had cancelled leave of officials as most of the tanks were spilling over.
He said the officials had been instructed to send hourly reports to the headoffice and act accordingly.
Eng Mohanaraja said that in the Anuradhapura district, all the tanks had reached spill level and they were compelled to open the spill gates to avoid any damage to the tanks. He said the Nuawara wewa, the Rajanganaya wewa, the Nachaduwa, Yan Oya Mahawilachchiya, and the Mahakanadrawa were among the tanks where the spill gates had been opened.
He pointed out that as they had cleared the Malwatu Oya they had managed to prevent Anuradhapura city from getting flooded.
He said the Parakarama Samaudraya had reached spill level and eight spill gates had been opened.
Eng Mohanaraja said the floods in Batticaloa, Hambantota and Puttalama were due to sluice gates being opened. All the sluice gates in Tabbowa tank were opened too.
Meanwhile, the Mahaweli River has reached major flood levels and people living in areas such as Welikanda, Kinniya, Mutur, Seruwila, Kanthale, Lankapura, Medirigiriya, Tamankaduwa and Dimbulagala have been advised to take precautions.
The Disaster Management Centere’s Deputy Director (Early warning) Pradeep Koddipli said they had issued flood warnings to people living on the embankments of rivers and those living close to tanks as most of the tanks have reached spill levels.
He said the Ella-Wellawaya road,, the Badulla-Welimada roads and the road extending through Badulla, Passara, Bibile and Lungala were closed due to boulders falling on to the road.
He said a red notice on landslides had been issued in the Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Mahanuwara Districts and several areas in the Badulla district. He advised the residents in these areas to temporary evacuate if they saw signs of landslides.
Kalawewa Anuradhapura, Pix by Karanaratne Gamage, Athula Bandara, Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa, Hiran Priyankara and Jayaratne Wickramaarachchi
Puttalama
ParakramA Samudraya, Polonnaruwa