The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) yesterday, June 4, stated that three people died and two others are reported missing, while 130,837 people were affected in several districts of the country due to adverse weather conditions.
Three people including a 16-year-old girl had died after a mound of earth collapsed on to her home in Ayagama, Dumbara in Ratnapura. Another person has been hospitalised with injuries at the same location and another person is reported as missing. A 15-year-old boy is reported to be missing in Mahawewa, Puttalam due to floods.
Over 340 houses had been fully or partially damaged, while 130,837 people belonging to 31,345 families in six districts have been affected due to the adverse weather prevailing in several parts of the country for the last few days, according to the DMC.
“People in the Gampaha, Ratnapura, Colombo, Puttalam, Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya and Kurunegala districts have been affected by the rains, floods, landslides and winds,” the DMC stated.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) yesterday issued landslide warnings for six districts – Colombo, Galle, Kalutara, Kegalle, Matara and Ratnapura.
Accordingly, the NBRO issued Level 1 (Yellow-Watch) warnings for the Pitabeddara DS Division and surrounding areas in the Matara district, Elapatha, Kuruwita, Ratnapura, Kiriella and the Nivithigala DS Divisions and surrounding areas in Ratnapura District.
The NBRO further issued Level 2 (Amber-Alert) warnings for the Seethawaka DS in the Colombo District, Neluwa DS in Galle District, Walallawita and Horana DS in Kalutara District, Dehiowita DS in Kegalle District and Ayagama in the Ratnapura District.
The NBRO also issued Level 3 (Red-Evacuation) warnings for Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya, Palindanuwara and Agalawatta Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DSDs) and surrounding areas in the Kalutara District and Eheliyagoda and Kalawana DSDs and surrounding areas in the Ratnapura district.
The Department of Irrigation yesterday stated that a Considerable rainfall exceeding around 200 mm has occurred in most of the Upstream/Middle Reach/Downstream Catchment areas of Kelani River Basin as of 6 a.m. yesterday.
By analyzing the current rainfall situation and river water levels of Hydrological Stations in the Kelani River, there is a possibility of increasing the current local minor flood situation existing in low lying areas of the Kelani River Valley in Dehiowita, Ruwanwella, Seethawaka, Dompe, Homagama, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Kolonnawa and Wattala D/S Divisions into a considerable flood situation.
The residents in those areas and vehicle drivers running through those areas are requested to take adequate precautions in this regard.
Most of the Middle Reach/Downstream Catchment areas of the Kalu River Basin have received rainfall exceeding 175 mm. By analyzing the current rainfall situation and river water level of Hydrological stations in the Kalu River, it is warned that there is a high possibility of further increasing current minor flood situation in low lying areas of the Kalu River Valley in Horana, Agalawatta, Ingiriya, Palindanuwara, Bulathsinhala, Dodangoda, Millaniya, Madurawala and Kalutara D/S Divisions. Residents of the area and drivers are requested to take necessary precautions.
The Meteorology Department said showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North Western, Central and Northern Provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts. Fairly heavy rainfalls above 75 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, North Western, Central and Northern Provinces and in the Galle, and Matara Districts.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places elsewhere during the evening or night. The public were requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damage caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
