By Chaturanga Samarawickrama

A Red alert on thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning has been issued for 19 districts, the Department of Meteorology said yesterday.
Accordingly, thundershowers accompanied by lightning are likely to occur at several places in Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Eastern, and North-Central provinces and in the Kurunegala District.

Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places in these areas.

Therefore, the general public are cautioned to take necessary precautions to safeguard themselves against lightning, the Department said.

Accordingly, the 19 districts which are are named as follows: Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Matale, Batticaloa, Kegalle, Kandy, Gampaha, Nuwara Eliya, Colombo, Badulla, Ampara, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Moneragala, Hambantota Galle and Matara, they said.

The Meteorology Department cautioned people not to seek shelter under trees but to stay indoors. The dept. requests people to avoid frequenting in open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations, playgrounds, and open water bodies during thunderstorms.Avoid using wired telephones and disconnect electric appliances during thunderstorms and avoid travelling in open vehicles, such as bicycles, trailers hauled by tractors, boats etc. Beware of fallen trees and power lines, the department advised.