Nearly 9,000 individuals affected by adverse weather across the island

The adverse weather situation has affected at least 9,000 individuals belonging to 2,000 families in 11 districts across the island.
  
Many parts across the country have been receiving heavy rainfall in recent days. 

During the 24 hours ending 8 a.m. today, the highest rainfall of 31.2 millimetres was recorded from the Negombo area, according to the Met. Department.

Meanwhile, yesterday (05), incidents of flash floods were reported from several areas in the Gampaha district owing to heavy deluge.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) stated that steps were taken to evacuate residents from the flood-affected areas of Katana, Rubber Watta and Gomaswatta in the Gampaha district.

The affected communities were provided with essentials including food with the help of military personnel.

Issuing its situation report, the DMC mentioned that 9,276 people of 2,249 families across 11 districts have been affected so far due to adverse weather patterns.

Meanwhile, issuing its general weather update for tomorrow, the Department of Meteorology stated that a low-level atmospheric disturbance is likely to develop over the southeast Bay of Bengal area in the next few days.

Accordingly, the department says that several spells of showers are likely to occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Southern provinces and in the Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.

It was also mentioned that showers or thundershowers would occur at several places in the Northern, Eastern and Uva provinces and in the Polonnaruwa district during the afternoon or night.

The Meteorology Department, meanwhile, requested the naval and fishing communities to remain vigilant adding that strong winds of about 40-50 kilometres per hour can be expected over the western and Southern coastal areas.

In this backdrop, the Department of Irrigation stated that water levels of several rivers including the Attanagalu Oya, Kelani, Nilwala, Kalu and Gin rivers are currently on the rise due to the prevailing heavy rainfall.

However, the Director of Irrigation, Eng. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara stated that according to data on the rainfall received so far, none of the major rivers are at risk of overflowing.

He also mentioned that the capacity of major irrigation reservoirs across the island was at 67 percent.

Meanwhile, taking the current weather pattern into account, the National Building Research Organization extended its early landslide warning issued to several places in the Badulla, Galle and Matale districts.

Meanwhile, the landslide warnings issued to Kegalle and Matara districts earlier yesterday have been lifted.

The Department of Meteorology forecasts the prevailing rainy conditions to continue into the next days due to a mid-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka.