Winds of change but monsoon weather will prevail

By Nadia Fazlulhaq

The strong winds and heavy showers that lashed some parts of the country last week claimed six lives, with three being reported from Nuwara Eliya and caused damage to house and property.

Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts were the worst affected, an official of the Disaster Management Centre said. In Nuwara Eliya, a 19-year-old girl was killed after a tree fell on her, and the death of a 50 year old man was reported from Nanu Oya.

One of the damaged houses in Nuwara Eliya

In the Opanayake divisionl secretariat of the Ratnapura district one person was killed and another injured. In the Elapatha divisional secretariat area nine houses in the Kotamulla division, one house in the Pallegedare division and roofs of seven houses in the Hangamuwa division were damaged. In the Ratnapura divisional secretariat one house was damaged and a vehicle was damaged when a tree fell on to it in the New Town area. In Chilaw three houses had been damaged.

According to Deputy Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, Wing Commander Dhammika Wijesooriya estimates are being drawn up to repair these houses. Meanwhile the Met Department’s Director of Meteorology P.M. Jayatilake said these weather conditions will ease by the end of this week. He said that the low-pressure prevailing in the Bay of Bengal had added to the weather pattern of the South West monsoon.

“Due to this condition the monsoon has been activated and heavy showers with strong winds will prevail for a few days in various parts of the island.

“But by the end of this week the low-pressure condition might get weaker and head towards the Arabian Sea. However, the South West monsoon will prevail,” he said.