Tornado-like emission seen from garbage dump

The gas emission. Picture by Asela Kuruluwansa

 The methane gas emitted to the air from the Tekkawatta garbage dump in Gohagoda Kandy would have been visible to the public like a tornado, said Prof. Athula Senaratne of Peradeniya University.

This would have resulted due to the excessive heat experienced these days, he said.

Prof. Senaratne said since atmospheric temperature is 35-36 degrees Celsius, the underground temperature was likely to increase up to 40 degrees Celsius causing an emission of gas from the garbage dump. When the 40 degree Celsius temperature and humidity interacted with the carbonic layer developed in the garbage, it created the methanogenic bacteria which produced methane gas. When methane gas gets pressed against the polythene in the garbage, it erupted skywards like a dust cloud similar to a tornado from a loose area in the dump. But there was no evidence to suggest it to be an actual tornado. He said the Geology and Engineering Departments have launched an investigation into this incident. 

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