The country is experiencing heavy rains since Sunday (22) which is unlikely for this time period. The South Western monsoon typically starts in May and ends in September. The North-Eastern monsoon is from December to February. Rains left transportation in six districts (Galle, Kalutara, Gampaha, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Matara and Colombo) crippled due to floods. National Building Research Organization (NBRO) maintained a Yellow Watch for Kalutara and Galle for possible landslides, slope failures, rock falls, cutting failures and ground subsidence.
The Department of Meteorology in its latest weather forecast suggested there was a “High possibility for evening thunderstorms over most parts of the island.”It further stated that due to the atmospheric disturbance in the South-Eastern sea area, showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Eastern and Uva Provinces and in Hambantota and Polonnaruwa Districts. Heavy rain fall above 100 mm are likely at some places in these areas.
As there may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers the department requested the public to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning.Naval and fishing communities are warned of possible heavy showers, thundershowers and sudden roughness in seas that is caused by increased wind speed, up to 70 to 80 kmph, in the sea areas coast extending from Batticaloa to Matara through Pottuvil. This situation, authorities said, is caused by atmospheric disturbances in the South-Eastern seas.
In addition, high winds that wreaked havoc across Ratnapura and Avissawela, on Friday (27), left a trace of uprooted trees and damaged electricity poles. DMC’s Kodippili said the winds left 140 houses in Avissawela and 100 houses in Ratnapura damaged. The damages were caused mostly by falling trees.About 10,000 residents in Ratnapura District experienced an electricity blackout when strong winds uprooted a tree that fell and damaged a power line. Electricity for most parts of the district was restored by the same night.With the DMC’s assistance, Kodippili said, over 200 personnel attached to the tri-forces were deployed in the two areas to help the affected people and remove fallen trees and electricity poles from the roads.
Ministry of Power, Energy and Business Development put in place a program this week to repair electricity lines that are damaged as a result of the inclement weather. Meanwhile, the Disaster Preparedness and Response Division, Ministry of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine commenced a program to aid the affected. On Tuesday (24), President Maithripala Sirisena advised authorities to provide immediate relief to affected persons. Officials of the military and police were deployed for search and rescue operations in the affected districts.
Southern Province Governor Hemal Gunasekara said a decision was made to close all schools in Matara and Galle Districts on Tuesday and Wednesday. School attendance remained significantly low in affected areas despite the condition improving. In the meantime the Department of Health warned of a possible dengue outbreak. It stated that the rain is leaving an environment for the Dengue mosquito to breed as the flood levels gradually subside. By evening, yesterday, river levels of Kalu, Gin and Nilwala were falling.According to statistics by the National Dengue Eradication Unit the number of dengue patients reported thus far in 2019 is 48,495, while the total number of cases last year was 51,659. The number of dengue cases in August this year has doubled to 9454 from the same period the year before.
