Rivers
in spate, reservoirs at spill
With incessant rains during the past few weeks, most of the island’s
rivers are in spate and reservoirs at spill level, causing inconvenience
to thousands and displacing others.
In
the wake of unabated rains landslides have occurred adding to the
problems of those affected by the rains. With irrigation and hydro
power reservoirs spilling over due to the heavy rains, the authorities
have been forced to open the sluice gates.
“Out
of the largest reservoirs, Victoria is spilling over and three of
its gates are opened,” Ceylon Electricity Board Control Engineer
Lakshitha Weerasinghe said. He said the possibility of the Kotmale
reservoir spilling over was very high while there was concern about
the Randenigala reservoir as well.
Kalawewa
and Rajangana reservoir are also full to the brim forcing the sluice
gates to be opened and people living around warned to be on the
alert. Kalawewa with the capacity of holding 100,000 acre feet of
water has spilled over causing inundation, resident project officer
of the Mahaweli H Area A. Gunatilleke said.
Many
roads including the Kalawewa-Aukana road are impassable and the
water level is said to be rising. Inginimitiya, the largest reservoir
in the Puttalam district has also reached spill level on Friday,
for the first time in 14 years, forcing the sluices to be opened
and the excess water directed to the Mee oya, according to District
Secretary H.M. Herath.
Due
to a leak that sprang in the Ambakolawewa, 6000 acre feet of water
was fed from it into the Inginimitiya reservoir increasing its capacity
to a dizzy 57,500 acre feet thus causing the sluice gates to be
opened. Villagers are asked not to bathe cows in that area.
With
the opening of the sluice gates the Anamaduwa – Nawagaththegama
road has become impassable from Uswewa to Kirioya. It was in 1985
on the invitation of Minister Asoka Wadigamangawa that the project
was commissioned by President J.R. Jayewardene. Since then till
1992 the sluice gates were opened on six occasions while from that
time to date it was opened only in January this year, according
to the GA.
In
Matale district the Bowatenna reservoir and the Nalanda, Dewahuwa
and Kandalama wewas are said to be full as a result of incessant
rains. By noon on Friday the water level in the Bowatenna reservoir
was only 6 inches below spill level and its sluice gates were opened
as a safety measure, according to engineer Vijaya Basnayake.
Arangala
police had informed people living in the area to be in readiness
to leave in case the Amban Ganga overflowed its banks. Around 200
families in the district have left their homes due to landslides
while there are signs of more landslides. Those affected are seeking
refuge in homes of relatives and friends elsewhere.
In
the Madawela area, water is seeping through the ground forcing residents
to flee the houses, according to Provincial Councillor T.G. Dissanayake.
Places of refuge are being made ready in case more residents have
to give up their homes, he said.
Meanwhile,
the causeway on the Akkaraipattu-Pottuvil road has been rendered
impassable by the continuous rains over the past few days in the
Eastern Province.
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