With the onset of the south-west monsoon yesterday (23), the Met Department warns of strong winds along with heavy showers that may lead to landslides, floods and damage caused by heavy winds.
Met. Department deputy Director S.R. Jayasekera told The Sunday Times that during the onset of the south west monsoon all parts of the country would experience heavy showers but later the showers would continue only in the Western, Central, and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts.
The Early Warning Centre of the Met Department issued a bad weather advisory stating that with the onset of the monsoon showery and windy weather will be experienced over most parts of the island.
The south-west monsoon usually continues from mid-May to October, when winds originate in the south-west, bringing moisture from the Indian Ocean. When these winds encounter the slopes of the central hills, they unload heavy rains on the mountain slopes and the south-western sector of the island.
He said that strong winds would prevail during this time due to the low pressure condition in the Bay of Bengal and may cause disasters.
At least six persons were killed due to a landslide at Norton Bridge in Hatton last Wednesday where a house was buried in mud.
Ananda Dharmaratne, deputy director (emergency operations) of the Disaster Management Centre said that Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kandy, Ratnapura, Kegalle and Kalutara are some of the districts prone to disasters.
Meanwhile the Electricity Board has decided to dispense with power cuts as hydropower catchments are receiving heavy showers.
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