News
Vigilance urged as heavy rainfall continues
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya and Prasad Rukmal
The heavy rainfall during the last few days has caused landslides, earth slips and tree falls in the central hills.
One of the worst affected districts was the Matale District which experienced landslides, earth slips, as well as trees falling onto roads causing obstructions and damage.
The Disaster Management Centre told the Sunday Times that four villages which were inhabited by 400 families were cut off from other areas as a bridge between Gammaduwa and Nagala area was damaged. According to them, people were entrapped in their houses as a culvert was damaged by heavy rain.
Families residing in Nagala, Inguruwatte, Kopimale and KatuKithula villages were stranded as there were no alternate routes.
Matale District Secretary Prasanna Madanayake said they would get the culvert repaired before Monday (Deepavali) and restore the road.
The Road Development Authority through the disaster relief unit, Disaster Management Authority, Ambangaha Divisional Secretariat, Pradeshiya Sabha and area residents would engage in road restoration activities, he said.
Heavy rainfall had also made the Rattota-Laggala road, which stretches via Riverston, subject to landslides, earth slips and tree falls.
This disrupted vehicle movement on Thursday. The road was not in a condition to be used as the area is prone to landslides.
The Matale District Disaster Management Centre asked motorists to use alternative routes due to road blockage, as well as landslide risk.
Matale District Forest Officer Sampath Wanigasekara said that due to the heavy rains on Wednesday earth slips and landslides occurred.
Authorities said heavy rainfall during the evenings had caused water levels in nearby streams to rise. Therefore, they warned tourists to take precautions while bathing in streams.
The prevailing rains had also caused inconveniences to vegetable farmers. Badulla District farmers experienced crop damage, while their houses were also damaged due to tree falling incidents and other disasters.
Badulla District Secretary Panduka Sri Prabath Abeywardena said the Welimada, Hewanakumbura Kiriwelbedda Ella had washed away due to heavy rains, damaging vegetable crops and houses.
The incident had affected vegetable cultivation in Welimada, Kappetipola and Habaragala, Vidurupola and Balungala.
Farmers lamented that carrot, radish, bean, cabbage, leek and potato fields which they painstakingly cultivated were washed away.
Mr Abeywardena added that some houses, too, had been damaged as the concrete road at Welimada, Gawaramaana Wakkadahinna area had been subjected to landslides.
On Friday, two trees had fallen on to the Badulla-Jayagama Road temporarily disrupting transportation while damaging power and telecommunication lines.
He added that though no one was injured, farmers had experienced crop damages, and they would start evaluating the damage.
These were only a few of the incidents caused by the prevailing heavy rain conditions.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology Department forecast that the inter-monsoonal condition would prevail until Thursday, October 23.
Duty Forecaster, Sachintha Jayasekara explained that they expect rains island wide after 2 pm as rain clouds would form due to the prevailing inter-monsoonal condition.
She explained that they expected 100mm rainfall could be expected in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, North Central, Eastern and North Western provinces.
She urged the public to take precautions from temporally localised heavy winds and lightning during thunder showers.
The Disaster Management Centre website carried an advisory for severe lightning issued by the Meteorology Department as well as landslide early warnings issued by the National Building Research Organization (NBRO).
According to the advisory issued by the Met Department, thunder showers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur in the Central, North Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and North Western provinces and in Ampara, Mannar and Vavuniya districts, therefore people are requested to take precautions.
The department also advised people to seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees, avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms, avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms, avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats, to be aware of falling trees and power lines as well as to seek emergency assistance by contacting the local disaster management authorities.
NBRO issued both yellow and amber landslide warnings calling people to be watchful.
Level one warnings (yellow warning) had been issued in several areas in Badulla, Galle, Gampaha, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura districts.
Level 2 (amber warning) have been issued to several areas in Kandy, Kegalle and Matale districts.
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