The rains are to worsen today with ‘showery conditions expected to enhance’ around the island, according to a release issued by the Meteorology Department yesterday.
As of yesterday, a total of nine deaths were reported with 5,675 families being affected in Galle, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Batticaloa, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Hambantota, Kegalle, Rathnapura and Moneragala. Naval fishing communities have been asked to refrain from fishing and naval activities in the sea areas off the coast extending from Mannar to Hambanthota via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle and Matara. Very heavy showers/thundershowers and very rough seas, very high winds can be expected in the sea areas within 100 km to 200 km of the above position.
“For Arabian Sea areas (for multiday boats) The Depression in the southeast Arabian Sea is now intensified into a Cyclonic storm, ‘LUBAN’ and located near latitude 12.3°N and longitude 62.4°E, 2000 km away from Colombo.
It is very likely to intensify further into a severe Cyclonic storm in the next 24hrs and move west northwestwards, away from Sri Lanka”, said the Met Department.
The DMC situation report at 9.30am yesterday morning stated that waters in the Kalu Ganga, at Millakanda and waters in the Gin Ganga at Baddegama were at flood levels and were rising further.
In the meantime waters at Putupaula and Dunmale, were receding but residents have been asked to be alert.
Military Spokesperson Brigadier Sumith Attapattu said 1,200 Army personnel were on standby to be deployed to deal with any disaster situation.
Teams had been deployed to possible areas of flooding on Sunday (7) to Kalutara, Galle, Kandy and Colombo. By yesterday, personnel from Kandy and Colombo had been withdrawn but 110 Army personnel in the Kalutara district (with 2 boats and 3 armoured vehicles) and 50 in Galle were still working with the District Secretariat and Police in the relevant areas.
Wet weather has been prevalent around the island since the beginning of October.
Though the island is currently facing the North East Monsoon, according to the Met Department’s monthly rainfall anomaly forecast for October 2018, “There would be slightly above normal rainfall to be expected over most parts of the island” from the beginning to the end of October. The wet weather is also expected to continue until December.
The areas mainly affected tomorrow would be several places in the Northern, Western and Eastern provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kaluthara districts.
Heavy falls (about 100mm) can also be expected at some places in the Eastern, Southern, Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Western Provinces.
Add new comment