Nearly a month after a deadly mudslide struck central Sri Lanka, the danger is returning this week. A slow-moving tropical disturbance will be responsible for expanding torrential rain across Sri Lanka and to southeastern India through Thursday.
The rain will arrive in an east-to-west fashion, impacting the cities of Batticaloa and Trincomalee in Sri Lanka and Madurai and Mannargudi in India.
While the disturbance is not expected to develop into a stronger tropical cyclone, the rain alone is heightening the risk of flash flooding and mudslides.
The heaviest rain and greatest threat for flooding across Sri Lanka will focus on eastern parts of the nation. Rainfall totals will top 100 mm (4 inches) in many communities.
Places along the eastern slopes of the mountains should top the storm’s rainfall totals list as the moist air flows up into the mountains and additional rainfall is wrung out. In addition to flooding, mudslides are a serious concern.
The opposite effect on the other side of the mountains will allow Colombo to escape the heaviest rain, but occasional downpours are still concerns Wednesday and Thursday.
Sri Lanka’s Badulla district was the site of a deadly mudslide on Oct. 29, 2014. India’s Disaster Management Center stated that around 330 people were impacted, Accuweather reports.
