High-intensity rain pounds Sri Lanka, flood threat looms

A bus on a submerged road 

• NBRO issues landslide warnings for several districts 

By Yohan Perera and Leenah Wahab   

The complicated weather conditions which Sri Lanka is  experiencing currently has led to a flood threat, according to the  disaster management authorities.   

Director General Department of Meteorology Athula  Karunanayake told Daily Mirror that there is a complicated situation  when it comes to weather in Sri Lanka currently.   

“Sri Lanka is currently located in inter tropical  convergence zone where winds from northern and southern hemispheres  meet. Sri Lanka is also facing an atmospheric disturbance. In addition,  Sri Lanka is currently in an inter-monsoon period. All these situations  bring heavy showers which could be as high as 200mm,” Mr. Karunanayake  said.   

“Sri Lanka has also experienced high-intensity rains during  the past few days. You experience sudden splashes of rain because of  the high intensity. However, intensity seemed to have reduced as many  areas only experienced drizzles on Thursday evening,” he added.   

He said the rains might reduce during the coming days as  the atmospheric disturbance could move away from Sri Lanka. We only expect a rainfall of 100 mm across the island  during the coming days,” he also said.   
However. Mr. Karunanayake stressed that Hurricane  Milton which has hit the Western part of the world has no effect on Sri  Lanka.   

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned of flood  threats in Kalutara, Gampaha, and Colombo Districts as water levels of  Kelani, Kalu, Gin and Nilwala rivers were rising.   

Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO)  issued landslide warnings for Badulla, Galle, Colombo, Gampaha,  Kalutara, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura  Districts.   

Director General Irrigation Department of Sri Lanka, Eng.  A. Gunasekara said the landslide warning has been issued based on  rainfall reports submitted by the Meteorological Department and flood  level statistics recorded by the Irrigation Department. “Monitoring  stations include the Kalu Ganga, where we record the flood levels. These  are converted to flood volumes and are measured using rating curves,”  he said. Mr. Gunasekara also said the landslide may potentially result  in reducing water quality, which may adversely affect farmers. “There is  no way to prevent it, what people can do is not damage the environment  by deforestation and unauthorised logging that causes soil erosion and  land saturation” he said.   

In another development, one person went missing when he tried to cross a bridge in Nawagamuwa last morning.