Colombo flooded after several hours of rain

Colombo (News 1st): In the last 24 hours that ended at 8:30 a.m. this morning, Colombo experienced rainfall of 150 mm and the areas of Colombo Fort and Ratmalana received a rainfall of 141 mm. Houses located on the third lane in Wennawatta, Wellampitiya were submerged in water along with hundred other houses in the surrounding areas this morning. The same situation was spotted in Wellampitiya and in Adikaramwatta. The situation in Angoda, Gothatuwa and Dematagoda was no better than the situation in Wellampitiya. Due to the flooding situation that followed the incessant rains, students of the Veluwana School in Dematagoda had to be sent back home. Many residents of Borella, Wanathamulla and Halgaha-Kumbura gathered at a Community Hall in Wanathamulla as their houses were submerged in floodwaters. NAT... The Colombo University premises and the BRC Grounds in Colombo were inundated. Roads leading to the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre and surrounding roads were blocked by fallen trees and due to the high level of water on the roads. Heavy traffic congestion was seen this morning as a result of entry roads to Colombo in areas such as Grandpass and Armour Street were inundated. The Colombo - Kaduwela road was also submerged today. Traffic congestion was seen in Thunmulla and several other areas due to the rainy weather experienced today. **************** According to statistics, 5,507 families under 8 Divisional Secretariats in the Colombo District has been affected due to the torrential rain. These 5,507 families have been reported from the Divisional Secretaries of Thimbirigasyaya, Kolonnawa, Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, Moratuwa, Colombo, Kaduwela, Seethawaka and Maharagama. According to Colombo District Secretary - Pradeep Yasarath, 285 families in the Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Divisional Secretariat have been moved to 2 secure locations. Adding further he said that all the necessary facilities have been provided to these groups. The Colombo District Secretary also said that 137 houses in the Colombo District have suffered partial damages due to torrential rains. **************** Many major development projects are being carried out in Colombo and surrounding areas as of now. The Port City Project, The New Kelani Bridge and the Port Access Elevated Highway Project and The Multi-Purpose Shopping Mall in Peliyagoda are but a few of those development projects that are in motion as of now. In addition to this, several projects are in place to control flooding in Colombo and the construction work of the Groundwater Drainage System in the areas of Muthuwella, Thunmulla and Bamnalapitiya have also begun. In many other occasions, many other projects were implemented to control the rainwater and floodwaters in the city of Colombo. Against such a backdrop, the Colombo City and the surrounding areas get inundated after heavy rainfall in a matter of few hours.