Torrential rains and minor floods forced the closure of schools all along the western seaboard from Negombo to Galle, yesterday, as rainfall measuring over 220 mm continued to batter several parts of the country particularly in the Southern Province.The Meteorology Department has sounded the alarm over worsening weather conditions forecast this week while the Disaster Management Centre has issued early landslide warnings for Kalutara, Kegalle and Galle districts.
The Meteorology department yesterday warned that showery weather conditions would intensify today and tomorrow with rainfall above 200mm expected in the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, and Western provinces while rainfall between 100mm and 150mm are expected in the Northern, Western and Central provinces. DMC Director General W.A Dharmasiri said that rainfall is expected to intensify over the island particularly over Southern and Western Parts of the country. He said that DMC teams have been dispatched to assist in relief efforts in the Galle and Matara districts.
The Disaster Management Centre issued a ‘Level 3’ (early warning) landslide alert for towns in the Kalutara and Galle districts advising residents to take pre-emptive evacuation measures due to the threat of landslides. Bulathsinhala, Matugama, Agalawatta, Elpitiya, Nagoda, Baddegama, Niyagama and Imaduwa and surrounding areas of the same divisional secretariats have been issued warnings. The DMC warned that slope failures, ground subsidence, rock failures, could occur in those areas. Those living in these areas have been requested to remain cautious over the sudden appearance of springs, cracks on walls of buildings on higher slopes and ground subsidence which indicates that the ground may give way.
Flash floods have been reported in parts of Galle and Matara districts where nearly 5,500 individuals and 1475 families have been affected. One death and one injured person was reported on Monday. An estimated 152 houses have been damaged in the floods while 10 enterprises have been affected. Schools in the Galle and Matara districts remained closed today due to the inclement weather.
The Irrigation Department has cautioned that the water levels of the Nilwala, Gin, and Kalu rivers were on the rise. This had resulted in heavy flooding along the Nilwala in Panadugama. The water level of the Gin Ganga had risen in Baddegama and the Kalu Ganga at Millakanda.The Department of Irrigation has cautioned that the water gauge of the Gin Ganga at Baddagema was gradually rising to major flood level. The current water gauge of the Gin River at Baddagema recorded a level of 4.57 meters, just below the ‘major flood’ level marked at 5 meters. Meanwhile, the water gauge of the Gin Ganga at Thawalama was recorded at 3.36 meters yesterday evening.
A Police communique noted that several roads in Colombo had become inundated due to heavy rainfall and urged motorists to take alternative routes. As of yesterdayevening, Armour street, St. James street on Bloemendhal, Jinthupitiya roads opposite Kirulapone police station, High Level road, Baseline road, Robert Gunawardena junction and roads along the Maha Viduddharamaya temple in Dematagoda was inundated.
The Road Development Authority warns that sections of the Southern Expressway in Kokamaduwa and Welipanna were inundated and that motorists should use alternative roads. Early on Tuesday, RDA officials cautioned commuters to restrict their speed limits to 60kmph due to the showery conditions. RDA Chairman Nihal Sooriyarachchi said the Southern
Expressway in the Baddegama area was limited to one lane after an earth embankment had collapsed onto the road. Meanwhile, the Welipenna interchange of the Expressway has beenlimited to heavy vehicles due to flooding, he noted adding that the Matara exit point would also be closed for traffic if rains continue. As rain battered the southern parts of the country, the Puttalam, Kurunegala and Vavuniya districts continued to experience drought since June this year. 2,578 have been affected by the droughts, the Disaster Management Centre confirmed.