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Lanka will slash defence expenditure, President says
There will be cuts in the defence expenditure in the coming interim budget, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.Wicrkemesinghe said that overall state expenses would be slashed by a few hundred billion rupees, and these would be redirected to welfare and debt repayment.Sri Lanka would seek Japanese help on bilateral debt restructuring with the country’s main creditor nations, including China and India, he said.
“Someone needs to call in, invite the main creditor nations. We will ask Japan to do it,” President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Reuters.
The President added that he would travel to Japan next month to meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka expectedan IMF facility between 2 billion and 3 billion US dollars.
An IMF delegation was expected to visit Sri Lanka by the end of August to reach a staff-level agreement. After Sri Lanka reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF, it had to start engaging with its creditors on debt restructuring, he said.The President also said that an interim budget will be presented in September. The budget will focus on fiscal consolidation measures agreed with the IMF, he added. A full budget will be presented in November and he will outline broader recovery plans, Wickremesinghe said.
“So, both those budgets will put out government policy. The first one on stabilization and the second one will look at recovery,” he told Reuters.
Wickremesinghe said he believes that the economy will see some recovery, in the second half of 2023. There will be a three percent revenue surplus by 2025, he said.
“I think we are restructuring to make Sri Lanka a very competitive, export-oriented economy,” he told Reuters.
Wickremesinghe has also said that he is not aware of any plans by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to return to the country in late August, as reported by some media.
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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The National Building Research Institute [NBRI] has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura valid upto 0900 AM on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
LEVEL I [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Deraniyagala, Ruwanwella and Dehiowita in the Kegalle district and Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Horana, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya and Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Pelmadulla, Kiriella, Elapatha, Kalawana and Nivithigala in the Rathnapura district.
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Agalawatta and Mathugama in the Kalutara district, Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district and Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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Minor flood situation likely to occur within the next few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River
Based on the heavy rainfall currently being received in the Kalu River Basin and the analysis of water level data recorded at hydrological gauging stations maintained by the Irrigation Department within the Kalu River Basin, it is hereby warned that a Minor Flood Situation is likely to occur within the next
few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River.
The affected areas include the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ratnapura, Kuruwita, Ayagama, Elapatha, Kiriella in Ratnapura District.
The public residing in these areas, as well as motorists and passengers travelling through the affected regions, are strongly requested to act with utmost vigilance and to take all necessary
precautions. Disaster Management Authorities are requested to take necessary actions in this regard.
A considerable rainfall has occurred in the catchment areas of the Aththanagalu Oya Basin as atb5.00 AM today (22).
By analyzing the current rainfall situation and river water levels of Hydrological Stations on the Aththanagalu Oya, there is a possibility of a flood situation occuring in some low lying
areas of the Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys situated in Diwulapitiya, Mirigama, Attanagalla, Mahara, Gampaha, Minuwangoda, Ja-ela, Katana and Wattala Div8sional Secretaries Divisions within next 48 hours.
Owing to this situation, there is a possibility of some of the roads running through these lowlying areas being inundated at some places.
The public residing in these areas, as well as motorists traveling through these regions, are requested to exercise extreme caution regarding this situation.
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
Minor flood situation likely to occur within the next few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River
Flood warning issued to low lying areas of the Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys
Flood warning issued to low lying areas of the Kelani River valley
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura
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