Cyclonic storm to ease by weekend

• Ten fatalities and several individuals missing
• A total of 141 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in 18 districts affected
• In the Puttalam district, 16,919 people from 5,303 families have been affected due to overflowing tanks and rivers from the heavy rainfall
• Approximately 276,550 people from 80,642 families are affected, with 8 houses completely destroyed and 620 partially damaged
• As of yesterday afternoon, 15,586 families are sheltering in 165 camps
• Agriculture Minister cancel leave for employees of Mahaweli Authority and Irrigation Department 

By Yohan Perera and Chathuranga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The country is expected to experience some relief from adverse weather conditions as the current cyclonic storm, responsible for significant disruption, is expected to weaken by the weekend, official said yesterday. Athula Karunanayake, Director General of the Department of Meteorology, announced that the storm, currently located 110 km off Trincomalee and moving toward India, is anticipated to dissipate further by Saturday, November 30, 2024. Despite the potential easing of conditions, heavy rains are expected to continue affecting several provinces, including Northern, North Central, North Western, and Eastern regions.  The Western province may also receive some rainfall, according to the latest forecasts.  

The Western province may also receive some rainfall, according to the latest forecasts.  

The impact of the inclement weather has been substantial, with more than 276,550 people from 80,642 families affected across 20 districts, including Jaffna, Puttalam, Kegalle, Mannar, Kilinochchi, Ratnapura, Galle, Trincomalee, Badulla, Mullaitivu, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Matara, Matale, Ampara, and Vavuniya.   

As conditions have deteriorated, nearly all reservoirs are reported to be at spill levels, with key rivers such as the Mahaweli, Kelani, Malwathu Oya, and Maha Oya overflowing. However, there have been signs of improvement in some areas, as water levels in certain basins of the Kelani, Nilwala, Mahaweli, Yan Oya, and Maha Oya are gradually receding.  

Rainfall measurements reveal that Jaffna and Mullaitivu districts experienced 250mm of rain, while Mannar, Colombo, Kegalle, and Gampaha saw over 100mm in total yesterday.  

The inclement weather has claimed the lives of 10 individuals in the North, East, and Western provinces, including five school children who tragically drowned after the tractor they were traveling in was swept away by rapidly rising waters.   

Four more bodies of schoolchildren found pertaining to the incident where a tractor overturned in the area of Maawadipilli, Ampara. The driver and the assistant of the tractor also continues to be missing.     

Minister of Agriculture K. D. Lalkantha had ordered employees in charge of reservoirs and tanks to remain in their  workplace to face any emergency situation., Leave of these employees have been cancelled.