Over 150,000 persons affected by floods, several schools closed

Heavy rains and landslides have left more than 150,000 persons displaced and several areas inundated with flood waters in more than 12 districts,  officials said today.

At least three death has been reported by Monday morning. One of them was in the Angoda area after  a boat capsized in the Angoda area on Saturday.

The Disaster Management Centre said 34,492 families in 12 districts have been affected, but only 6,963 persons have taken shelter in relief centres. 

The floods have forced educational authorities to close down several schools in the western province while giving further powers for Zonal Education directors to decide if the schools in the respective areas should function or not tomorrow.

Accordingly, all schools in the Colombo educational zone, will be closed tomorrow while all schools in the Educational zones of Gampaha and Kelaniya and those in the educational divisions of Kolonnawa, Wattala and Kaduwela will be closed both tomorrow and the day after.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed that Rs 50 million be allocated to provide relief for persons affected by the floods.

The Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts have been the worst affected districts.

The Irrigation Department warned that there could be flooding in the Wattala and Ja-Ela areas due to the overflowing of the Attanagalu oya.

The Metrological Department warned that there could be more rains in the next few days. 

A spokesman for the Department, on Monday said the adverse weather has been caused by the atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka.

Heavy showers above 100mm  are likely expected in several locations in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North Western and Northern provinces. Rains also are exepcted in Matara and Galle districts. 

The warnings issued by the National Building Research Organisations said that the landslide warnings issued in the Colombo, Kalutara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Galle, Nuwara Eliya and Kurunegala areas remain.

Meanwhile the exit point of the Kaduwela expressway has been flooded.