Local News from Sri Lanka: Torrential rains and minor floods compelled schools to be closed all along the western seaboard from Negombo to Galle yesterday, as rainfall over 220 mm continued to batter several areas of the nation, especially in the southern province.
The Department of Meteorology raised the alarm over this week’s worsening weather forecasting while the Disaster Management Center issued early landslide warnings for counties of Kalutara, Kegalle and Galle.
Yesterday, the Meteorology Department warned that shower weather conditions would intensify today and tomorrow with rainfall above 200 mm expected in the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, and Western provinces, while rainfall in the Northern, Western, and Central provinces is expected between 100 mm and 150 mm. DMC General Director W.A Dharmasiri said rainfall is expected to intensify over the island, especially over the country’s southern and western parts. He said DMC teams were sent to assist with relief initiatives in the districts of Galle and Matara.
A’ Level 3′ (early warning) landslide alert was released by the Disaster Management Center for cities in the districts of Kalutara and Galle advising inhabitants to take preventive evacuation steps due to landslide risk. Warnings have been awarded to Bulathsinhala, Matugama, Agalawatta, Elpitiya, Nagoda, Baddegama, Niyagama and Imaduwa and nearby regions of the same secretariats. The DMC advised that in those fields there might be slope failures, surface subsidence, rock failures. Those residing in these regions were asked to stay careful about the sudden appearance of springs, cracks on building walls on greater slopes, and soil subsidence indicating that the soil could give way.
