Cyclone Ditwah causes extensive pollution along 143km stretch of Sri Lanka’s coastline

A total of 143.03 kilometers of Sri Lanka’s coastline have been polluted due to heavy flooding caused by the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, according to the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA).

MEPA Chairman Samantha Gunasekara stated that the severe flooding caused by the intense rainfall has significantly affected both the Sri Lankan sea area and the coastline, and that an estimated 5,280 man-hours will be required to restore the affected areas.

The coastal areas of Colombo, Negombo, Chilaw, Puttalam, Kalpitiya and the Eastern Province have been severely impacted.

The belongings and waste from all areas and houses affected by landslides caused by the heavy rainfall across the country have been carried through river basins and deposited along the coastline, he said.

Additionally, observations have confirmed that garbage lying on the Indian coast has also drifted to Sri Lanka’s shores due to prevailing monsoon conditions.

In response, a hired workforce is being assembled to remove the accumulated waste, a process expected to take at least three weeks.

Once collected, the waste and discarded items, assistance will be obtained from local government institutions to recycle the waste, the MEPA Chairman said.

Assistance for the programme will also be provided by MEPA’s 13 regional offices located across the island.

Meanwhile, the Authority said it is in the process of preparing an observation report on other waste that may have accumulated on the seabed, the Chairman added.