News
NBRO assessing landslide threat to over 200 schools islandwide
Over 200 schools in 10 districts are being evaluated by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) to ascertain whether the school locations are prone to landslides while landslide mitigation in 18 schools in Kandy District is to commence in January next year.
NBRO Landslides Division Head R.M.S.Bandara said the schools are located in Badulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Galle, Hambantota, Matale, and Matara Districts. Most of the schools are located in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy Districts. Five schools from the Matara and Hambantota Districts have been identified as located in landslide/rock fall prone areas.
Provincial education departments have been requested to submit the list of schools that are at risk of landslides and rock falls and show signs of walls cracking.
The Sunday Times learns that due to limited funds allocated by the Treasury, only one school per district will be provided with funding this year to go ahead with landslide mitigation measures.
Dr. Gamini Jayatissa, Senior geologist of the NBRO’s Landslide Research Division said most of the schools in the affected districts are at risk due to slope failure during heavy rains leading to landslides.
Designing of mitigation measures are made by the NBRO and tenders are called for soil nailing, retaining structures, re-shaping slopes and drainage management.
Meanwhile, most of the 18 schools in Kandy District which have been identified as landslide risk areas are located in Kandy town, and are leading schools with thousands of students. Therefore attention has been given to ensure safety of the students,” said Kumari Weerasinghe, of the NBRO who is handling the project.
Among the schools identified in the city are Dharmaraja College, Hillwood Girls’ School, Gothami Girls School, Mahamaya Girls School and Siddhartha College.
Apart from those in the town, several schools in Pujapitiya, Kadugannawa and Gampola have also been identified as risk prone. They are Molagoda Piyadassi College in Pujapitiya, Jinaraja College and St.Joseph’s Girls School in Gampola.
According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), Haldumulla, Passara, Haliela, Badulla and Welimada areas in Badulla District, Pelmadulla in Ratnapura District, Ukuwela in Matale District, Nuwara eliya, Kotmale, Walapane and Ambagamuwa in Nuwara Eliya district are at high risk of landslides following the recent inter-monsoon rains.
Galle DMC Coordinating Officer Colonel L. D. Annakkage said several complaints have been received from school principals that their schools are at risk from rock falls. He said the NBRO officers of the district are looking into these complaints.
Badulla district DMC Coordinator Udaya Kumara said there have been complaints of wall in some schools cracking and these cases have been forwarded to the NBRO for attention.
“During the recent landslides, schools were used as relief camps as they have basic facilities. Therefore ensuring the safety of schools is essential,” he said.
-Nadia Fazlulhaq