News
Weather expected to improve soon
By Sirimantha Rathnasekera
Prevailing inclement weather would improve after 10 August, Director General of the Met. Department, Athula Karunaratne said yesterday.The Director General told The Island that rains would continue in the coastal areas of Southern and Western Provinces due to the activation of the Southwestern monsoon season, he said.Until then there would be continuous heavy rains in the Western, North Western, Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts, Karunaratne said.
“Some areas of Sabaragamuwa Province and Galle, Kandy and Matara districts will receive heavy rains over 100 ml. Wind speeds might reach 50 kmph in the western slope of the Central province and North Central, Western, North western, and Southern provinces,” he said, adding that showers might occur in Northern and North-Central provinces.
The Director General of the Met. Department said that weather warnings had been issued and people had to heed them.He added that showers or thundershowers would occur at several places in sea areas around the country.
“Winds will be westerly to south-westerly and wind speed will be 30-40 kmph. The wind speed can increase up to 60-70 kmph in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota. The wind speed can increase up to 50-60 kmph in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Batticaloa via Mannar,” Kankesanturai and Trincomalee.
The sea areas off the coast extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota will be very rough at times. Karunaratne asked the public to remain vigilant and to contact 117 for emergency assistance.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relating to the project to provide technological solutions to prevent wild elephants from being hit by trains was signed yesterday (01) afternoon at the President’s Media Centre, under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Coordinated through the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, the project is being implemented as a public-private partnership, with the Railway Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Conservation Department working together, with full financial support from People’s Bank.
The system consists of three-beam detection, passive infrared (PIR) sensors, automatic temperature sensors and a tamper alarm system to detect animals weighing more than 20 kilogrammes and unauthorised interference. Signal lights (red/yellow/green) installed on either side of the railway tracks, together with a special screen installed inside the locomotive cab, will alert the driver in advance to the exact location of an elephant.
A demonstration test of the system was successfully conducted at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage premises in the presence of the relevant officials, following which a report on the system was prepared.
The system will be implemented as a pilot project from next month at 13 locations where wild elephant accidents are frequent. A newly developed website is also scheduled to be launched to enable the progress of the project to be viewed live.
Additional General Manager of Railways P.D.S.B. Chandrasena, Director General of Wildlife Conservation M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe, Conservator General of Forests S.C. Palamakuumbura and Chairman of People’s Bank Chandana Guniyangoda signed the relevant MoU. Officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, including Presidential Additional Secretary (Clean Sri Lanka) Engineer S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, as well as senior officials from the Railway Department, Department of Wildlife Conservation, Forest Conservation Department and People’s Bank, were also present.
[President’s Media Division]
The Commissioner General of Examinations has announced that the results of the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination have been released online, and can be viewed on the department’s official website: www.doenets.lk
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed Sri Lanka on Monday, 31 August, to undertake an official visit to Bhutan to participate in the Global Conscious Food Systems Summit, scheduled to be held in Bhutan.
During her visit, Prime Minister Dr Amarasuriya participated in the opening plenary of the Summit on 1 September, where she delivered a keynote address under the theme “Rising to the Moment: Igniting Consciousness to Address the Polycrisis.”
The Prime Minister will also engage in discussions with international leaders and representatives on strengthening cooperation towards sustainable food systems, food security and resilient communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
MoU signed for technology to prevent wild elephant-train collisions
Grade 5 scholarship exam results released
Prime Minister participates in Global Conscious Food Systems Summit in Bhutan
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Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
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