Cyclonic storm developing, over 200,000 displaced

The Department of Meteorology has warned that a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal was moving closer to Trincomalee and developing into a cyclonic storm by evening.

The warning came as overnight heavy rains and strong winds caused widespread damages in a number of places across the country displacing over 200,000 persons, causing damages to houses and leaving several roads inundated.

The Department said the deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal was located to 190 km southeast of Trincomalee at around 11:30 p.m. yesterday and  is likely to move north-northwestwards closer to the east coast of Sri Lanka and intensify further into a cyclonic storm today (27th November).

Cloudy skies will prevailed over most parts of the island, very heavy showers and strong gusty winds can be expected in Northern, North-central, Eastern, North-western and Central provinces, the Department said.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Northern, North-central, Central, western and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Kegalle districts. Very heavy showers above 150 mm are likely at some places.

Showers will occur at times elsewhere of the island too. Fairly heavy above 75 mm are likely at some places.

Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over Northern, North-central, Central, Western, North-western, Southern and Eastern provinces.

Meanwhile the Colombo – Anuradhapura road via Puttalam has been blocked after a large tree had fallen across the road close to Puttalam.

Thousands of acres of paddy cultivations in the Ampara, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi. Mannar and Jaffna districts are also underwater. 

The Irrigation Ministry has directed engineers and technical staff of the Department and Mahaweli Authority to be on top alert as water levels were rising in reservoirs.

The Ministry Secretary D.P. Wickremesinghe has issued a directive that leave of all Irrigation Department and Mahaweli Authority Engineers and Technical staff in charge of reservoirs  have been cancelled.

The Mahaweli Authority staff have been told to coordinate with the respective divisional secretary offices to provide relief to the affected persons.