Monsoon Rains, Floods Wreak Havoc
Source:ceylontoday
The persisting inclement weather conditions, accompanied by the ongoing South-west monsoon, have wreaked havoc in 20 districts claiming the lives of 15 persons, injuring 23 and affecting a total of 3,727 families comprising 11,864 by yesterday (2).
Major flood situations have been reported in Millakanda of the Kalu Ganga and Pitabeddara of Nilwala Ganga. Following that, several main roads, including the Bulathsinhala – Kalutara road, remain inundated.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to promptly allocate funds to the District Secretaries to provide urgent assistance to those impacted by the adverse weather conditions, the President’s Media Division said
The situation was caused by the torrential rainfall of 149.8mm received by Millakanda of the Kuda Ganga basin of the Kalu Ganga, according to the Irrigation Department.
The water level of the Kelani River has reached flood level in Kelanimulla, the Department of Irrigation announced. As a result, the people living in Kolonnawa are being moved to safer locations due to rising water levels of the Kelani River, the Kolonnawa Divisional Secretary said.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) officials said that two persons, who were washed away by the floods, have gone missing in Thawalama in Galle yesterday and the search operation to recover their bodies was underway throughout the day.
Three members of the same family, including a seven-year-old girl, tragically lost their lives after drowning in floodwaters in Puwakpitiya.
A 36-year-old woman, her 78-year-old father and her seven-year-old daughter perished in the floods in Kekilla of Puwakpitiya.
Eheliyagoda recorded the highest rainfall as of 7.00 a.m. on Sunday (2) with the figure standing at 427.5 mm. Halwathura Estate in Ingiriya recorded 348.5 mm of rain during the same period. Akuressa recorded 283.5 mm, while Salawa also recorded 280.5 mm of rain.
Police stated that the flood situation occurred between 2.00 and 3.00 a.m. yesterday (02) in the canal near their house, which had been submerged, leading to the fatalities.
Additionally, another individual lost his life after being buried under a collapsing mound of earth in Puwakpitiya, Avissawella.
Furthermore, the Kaduwela-Biyagama interchange, of the Southern Expressway, has been closed to and from Kadawatha until further notice.
According to the statistics of Disaster Management Centre 23 houses had been fully damaged and 3,304 houses partially in these districts. A total of 1,394 houses, the highest number affected, had been reported from the Galle District.
When contacted, Janaka Handunpathiraja, Assistant Director of Media and Public Relations at the DMC, said that a total of 641 families, comprising 2,611, members have been housed in 21 safety centres and provided with the required essential facilities.
He said that partial damage had been caused to 54 small and medium scale enterprises and 17 infrastructure facilities.
Following the weather conditions, the Ministry of Education declared today (3) as a school holiday.
The power supply has been disconnected to several areas, as a precautionary measure, due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions and floods, the Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Energy said.
Accordingly, the power supply has been disconnected in several areas in the Galle, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Colombo and Kegalle districts owing to this.
The Ministry of Defence has announced that the Tri-forces have been instructed to take necessary measures to rescue affected individuals and provide relief services following the inundation of low-lying areas around rivers, due to adverse weather conditions across the island.
A senior official from the Ministry of Defence stated that approximately 20 teams, comprising personnel from the Tri-forces, have been deployed across the island to facilitate relief efforts.
Major General K.A.N Rasika Kumara, spokesperson for the Army, said that over 12 teams of Army personnel have been mobilised for flood rescue operations. He indicated that around 1,500 Army officers and other ranks have been tasked with providing relief services.
Special military teams are currently operational in Ayagama (Kiriella), Galathuru Oya (Kiriella), Dehiowita (Talduwa), Morawaka, Thavalama, Thihagoda, Neluwa, Baddegama, Diviturawa, and Kelanimulla. In areas such as Akurassa, Malimbada, Neluwa, and Salawa, Army troops are assisting displaced individuals by providing food, with the support of local residents.
Efforts have also been made to ensure access to drinking water and medical facilities for those affected by the disaster situation. Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage has instructed Security Force Commanders to prepare additional troops in case further rescue operations are required.
The Navy has taken proactive measures in response to severe weather conditions threatening the island. Relief teams were deployed to vulnerable areas in Kalutara, Galle and Matara Districts on 1 June.
These teams are actively engaged in disaster relief operations, providing essential aid and support to affected communities. Due to heavy rainfall, the Kalu, Gin, and Nilwala rivers, along with their tributaries, have reached spill levels.
To address the flood risk, 10 Navy flood relief teams have been dispatched to affected areas in Bulathsinhala, Puwakpitiya, Palindanuwara, and Welipanna in Kaluthara district, Thavalama in Galle district, and Akurassa and Panadugama in the Matara District.
The Navy has stated that 116 Navy relief teams, including units from the Rapid Action Boat Squadron, Special Boat Squadron and Navy Marines, are on standby and prepared to be deployed immediately to assist the public in the event of flooding.
Sri Lanka Police have established a Special Operations Room for the assistance of the people affected by the current inclement weather conditions and to coordinate relief measures, Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said.
The general public can accordingly seek assistance and coordinate with other disaster relief groups by contacting the relevant Special Operations Room through hotline numbers 0112421820 or 0112421111.
Taking the ongoing showery weather conditions into consideration, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued different levels of landslide early warning alerts to 63 Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions and the surrounding areas in nine districts.
Senior Scientist of the Landslide Early Warning Centre of at the NBRO Dr. Wasantha Senadeera said that level three red watch evacuation level landslide early warning alerts have been issued to Padukka DS Division and the surrounding areas in the Colombo District, Matugama, Ingiriya, Bulathsinhala and Palindanuwara DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kalutara District, Ruwanwella, Dehiowita, Deraniyagala, Warakapola and Yatiyantota DS Divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kegalle District, Ratnapura, Ayagama, Pelmadulla, Kuruwita, Elapatha, Nivithigala, Kalawana, Kiriella And Eheliyagoda DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Ratnapura District.
Dr. Senadeera said that level two amber watch landslide early warning alerts have been issued to Seethawaka DS Division and the surrounding areas in the Colombo District, Yakkalamulla, Thawalama, Nagoda, Neluwa, Elpitiya and Niyagama DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Galle District, Walasmulla DS Division and the surrounding areas in the Hambantota District, Walallawita, Agalawatta, Dodangoda and Horana DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kalutara District, Udapalatha DS Division and the surrounding areas in the Kandy District, Kotapola, Mulatiyana and Pitabeddara DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Matara District, Kotmale and Ambagamuwa DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Nuwara Eliya District and Imbulpe, Balangoda and Openayake DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Ratnapura district.
Dr. Senadeera added that level one yellow watch landslide early warning alerts have been issued to Okewela and Katuwana DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Hambantota District, Beruwala, Madurawala and Kalutara DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kalutara District, Pasbage Korale, Ganga Ihala Korale, Gangawata Korale and Udunuwara DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kandy District, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya, Mawanella, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Aranayaka DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kegalle District, Alawwa and Narammala DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Kurunegala District and Hakmana, Devinuwara, Kamburupitiya, Welipitiya and Dikwella DS divisions and the surrounding areas in the Matara District.
Meanwhile the Meteorology Department predicted yesterday (2) that showers or thundershowers could occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western Provinces today (3).
While commenting on current nature of atmosphere, Duty Meteorologist Shanika Dissanayake predicted yesterday (2) that heavy showers above 100 millimetres are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara Districts.
She also predicted that showers or thundershowers can be expected at several places elsewhere all over the country in the evening or night while cautioning the public to take adequate precautionary measures to prevent the damages caused by the temporary heavy winds and lightning during the thundershowers.
By Naalir Jamaldeen, Mithun Jayawardhana, Farhan Nizamdeen and Chamodya Senarathna
