At least 48, 917 people from 12, 478 families had been affected due to the rainy weather and added the death toll increased to nine, Disaster Management Center (DMC) said today.

It said the deaths, which were reported from Kalutara, Kegalle and Galle were caused by accidents caused by adverse weather conditions including lightning. 

“Due to the intensification of low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, prevailing showery condition is expected to continue in the Western, Central and Sabaragamuwa, North Western and in Galle and Matara,” he said. 

The depression over the Arabian Sea has now intensified into the cyclonic storm, ‘LUBAN’ and is located close to latitude 12.3°N and longitude 62.4°E some 2000 kilometres away from Colombo.

It is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours and move northwestwards away from Sri Lanka. 

Heavy showers, thundershowers, rough seas and strong winds can be expected over the sea areas and a request has been made to refrain from naval and fishing activities in these areas. (Yohan Perera)