Flood Risk Persists in Kalu Ganga and Deduru Oya as Heavy Rains Continue

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Irrigation Department states that the Kalu Ganga at Millakanda remains at a flood risk level.

Meanwhile, Deduru Oya in the Moragaswewa area also continues to remain at a flood risk level.

L. S. Sooriyabandara, Director of the Hydrology Unit of the Irrigation Department, requests residents in low-lying areas to remain highly vigilant regarding this situation.

Furthermore, the Irrigation Department mentioned that 25 reservoirs are currently spilling over.

Meanwhile, due to heavy rains, the landslide warnings issued under Phase 1 and 2 for several Divisional Secretariat divisions in the Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura districts remain in effect.

In addition, the Department of Meteorology states that thundershowers are likely to occur today in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Northern, and North Western provinces, as well as in the Anuradhapura and Galle districts.

This is due to the influence of a low-pressure area near Sri Lanka.

It is currently moving westward away from the island.

As a result, fairly heavy falls of around 75 mm can be expected in some parts of the island.

The Department of Meteorology requests the public to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning.

Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology also announced that another low-pressure area is likely to form today over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal.

It is likely to intensify further while moving west-northwestwards.

Consequently, wind speeds in the sea areas off the coast extending from Kankesanthurai to Potuvil via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle, Matara, and Hambantota could increase up to 60–70 km/h.

Therefore, the Department of Fisheries informs the fishing and naval communities not to venture into the sea areas above latitude 10° North in the Bay of Bengal.