News
Disruptive heavy downpour will stretch into Monday
View(s):By Jayanie Madawala
Heavy rains over the past few weeks in Sri Lanka have triggered severe flooding in the South Western part, disrupting public transport and day-to-day life of hundreds of families and causing damage to property.
Meteorological Department Director General Athula Karunanayake said the downpour, caused by an atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, will continue until Monday.
Rainfall exceeding 150mm was recorded in Galle and Matara districts as well as Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces.
The Hanwella area received the maximum rainfall of 276 mm, so far. Eheliyagoda received 211.5mm, Avissawella 221.5mm, and Matugama 212mm.
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- Kalutara – Pix by Sarath Siriwardena
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- Beruwala – Pic by Thusitha Kurama De Silva
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- COLOMBO- Pix by Eshan Fernando
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Northwestern and Central provinces. Showers of about 100mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
Strong winds of about 30-40 kilometres per hour are forecast in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-western and Central provinces.
Many parts including Colombo and suburbs were flooded. Traffic on Yatiyantota-Bulathkohupitiya road was disrupted. Several areas in Millaniya remain inundated.
The Colombo Avissawella road was flooded. Due to the overflowing of Pusseli Oya Hanwella Padukka main road was flooded. Low-lying areas in Eheliyagoda and by roads in Getahetta were also under water.
Panadura, Anguruwathota was flooded. Galle District experienced strong winds.
Gin River water level has swelled to 3.65metres.
The Welipenna Interchange of the Southern Expressway was closed for traffic on Friday due to flooding as usual, but was reopened, the Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division of the Road Development Authority (RDA) said.
The Irrigation Department warned of potential flooding in the next 48 hours.
Sakura Dilthara, engineer of hydrology and management of the Irrigation Department said high rainfall was recorded in most of the areas of Attanagalu Oya basin.
By analysing the rainfall and river water levels at hydrological stations in Attanagalu Oya, authorities warn of severe flooding of low-lying areas of Attanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya Valleys in Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Attanagalla, Mahara, Gampaha, Minuwangoda, Ja-Ela, Katana and Wattala D/S Divisions in the next 24 hours. Some roads in low-lying areas could be inundated.
Kelani Ganga, Kuda Ganga and Gin Ganga are at minor flood level.
About 24, 490 people belonging to 6018 families face hardships. The National Building and Research Organisation has issued landslide warnings for Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara-Eliya, Ratnapura and Kurunegala district.
A Level 2 (Amber) warning was issued for several Divisional Secretariat areas in Galle, Kalutara, Colombo, Kegalle, Ratnapura and Gampaha districts.
The Attanagalu Oya is at major flood level at Dunamale, while Kelani, Ging, and Kalu rivers have all reached minor flood level. Two sluice gates of the Polgolla Mahaweli dam have been opened.
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