Aththanagalu Oya and Deduru Oya water levels had increased due to heavy showers, Disaster Management Center Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili said yesterday. The Deduru Oya spill gates were opened yesterday. He requested the people of Puttalam, Arachchikattuwa and Chilaw areas to be alert.
Kodippili also requested the people in landslide prone areas to stay vigilant though there was no landslide warnings issued by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO).
Kodippili also said that the three spill gates of the Udawalawa reservoir which were opened last Thursday due to a rise in water levels, had been closed. However, he urged the people to continue being vigilant.
According to the DMC Deputy Director, the Southern, Western and the Sabaragamuwa provinces have received heavy showers during the last twenty four hours. He also said that people living in downstream areas of the Kalu ganga, Nilwala, Gin and Aththanagalu Oya, to stay alert of to rising water levels. Kodippili also said that 117 hotline was open for any emergency.
Most low lying areas in the Kalutara District had been affected due to torrential rains received during the past two days. Kalutara District Secretary U.D.C. Jayalal alerted all Secretaries of the Gramasevaka Divisions in the Kalutara district of a possible mini flood situation.
Disaster Management Authorities have also warned the public living in these areas to stay alert. Fishermen in the coastal belt of the Kalutara District, had refrained from fishing yesterday, as well. Toddy tapping and transport services had been interrupted in these areas as well.
Meanwhile, Meteorology Department yesterday, said the cloudy and showery conditions is expected to prevail in most parts of the country today as well. The showery conditions may continue due to a low level atmospheric disturbance associated with an inter-tropical convergence zone in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, the Meteorology Department said. An inter- tropical convergence zone is created when the Northern and Southern hemispheric winds meet.
The Meteorology Department also said that showers or thundershowers would occur over most provinces of the island, particularly after 2.00 p.m. “Heavy falls of about 100 mm could be expected at many places, particularly in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, Western and North-western provinces and in the Ampara, Batticaloa, Galle and Matara districts,” Meteorology Department sources further said.
Misty conditions could be expected at some places in the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces during the morning.
“There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. The General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning.” the weather forecast for today also said.On marine weather, the Meteorology Department forecasts that there a possibility for showers in sea areas around the island. Showers or thundershowers would occur in sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Hambantota via Colombo and Galle and in the sea area extending from Pottuvil to Trincomalee.