Inclement weather to worsen across island: Public requested to remain vigilant

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Several areas in the country continue to be battered by heavy rains and gale winds. Hatton A number of low-lying areas were inundated after the Keselgamuwa Oya spilt over its banks at Bogowanthalawa, Hatton. Uprooted trees and falling earth embankments obstructed the Norton - Ginigathhena Road this morning in the Atlis area. Badulla Twenty-three families living in Nagolla, Soranatota in Badulla were instructed to evacuate their houses due to a risk of falling earth embankments. Our correspondent said, yesterday (September 16) earth embankments collapsed along with rocks from atop the Nasugala Hill damaging a house. Galle Low-lying areas in Udugama and Thawala were flooded after the Gin Ganga broke its banks. Matara Inclement weather forced fishermen to refrain from setting out to sea from Galle and Matara today. Dr Gamini Jayathissa, Director ( NBRO ) Landslide Research and Risk Management Division stated that a warning of scale number one was issued to Kiriella, Kalawana and Ratnapura Divisional Secretariats in the Ratnapura district, Warakapola and Dehiowita divisional secretariats in the Kegalle district as well as for the Walallawita, Dodangoda and Ingiriya divisional secretariats in the Kalutara District and finally for Eheliyagoda in Ratnapura , Ambagamuwa in Nurawa Eliya, Mathugama, Agalawatte and Baduraliya in the Kalutara District. Athula Karunanayake, Director-General of Department of Meteorology stated that showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central, Northern and North-Western provinces. In addition showers or thundershowers could occur in the other parts of the island as well. He continued to state that showers or thundershowers will also occur in the coastal areas of the Western, Southern and South-Eastern parts of the country and wind speeds could increase to 60 to 70 kmph. He further added that wind speeds can also increase to 60 kmph off the coast extending from Hambantota to Pothuvil and Puttlam to Mannar via Kankesanthurai. He finally added that there could be an escalation in this inclement weather by the 19th to the 20th of September. The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning.