2024-11-27
Latest News
Heat Index at ‘Caution Level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Southern and Eastern provinces and in Rathnapura and Monaragala districts today [16]
Warm Weather Advisory Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology for 16 April 2025
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Southern and Eastern provinces and in Rathnapura and Monaragala districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the table below and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
Weather
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-western, Uva and North-central provinces during the afternoon or night
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 16 APRIL 2025
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 16 April 2025 by the Department of Meteorology
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces and in Polonnaruwa district during the morning.
A few showers may occur in the Western province and in Galle, Matara, Puttalam and Mannar districts in the morning while showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-western, Uva and North-central provinces during the afternoon or night. Fairly heavy falls of above 50 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Uva provinces.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
More than a thousand people have been left with respiratory problems after a sandstorm swept across Iraq’s central and southern parts of the country, health officials said.
One official in Muthanna province reported to the AFP news agency at least 700 cases of what they said was suffocation.
Footage shared online showed areas cloaked in a thick orange haze, with local media reporting power cuts and the suspension of flights in a number of regions.
Dust storms are common in Iraq, but some experts believe they are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Pedestrians and police wore face masks to protect themselves from the dust and paramedics were on site to assist people with difficulty breathing, according to AFP.
Hospitals in Muthanna province in southern Iraq received at least “700 cases of suffocation”, a local health official said.
More than 250 people were taken to hospital in Najaf province, and at least 322 patients including children were sent to hospitals in Diwaniyah province.
A further 530 people reported breathing issues in Dhi Qar and Basra provinces.
The sandstorm blanketed Iraq’s southern provinces in an orange cloud that reduced visibility to less than one kilometre (0.62 mile).
The authorities were forced to shut down airports in the provinces of Najaf and Basra.
Conditions are expected to gradually improve by Tuesday morning, according to local weather services.
Iraq is listed by the UN as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change as it encounters regular sandstorms, sweltering heat and water scarcity.
A severe sandstorm in 2022 left one person dead and more than 5,000 needing treatment for respiratory illnesses.
Iraq will be experiencing more “dust days” in the future, according to its environment ministry.
[BBC]
Heat Index at ‘Caution Level’ at some places in Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Southern and Eastern provinces and in Rathnapura and Monaragala districts today [16]
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-western, Uva and North-central provinces during the afternoon or night
Iraq sandstorm leaves many with breathing problems
-
News4 days agoSuspect injured in police shooting hospitalised
-
Features5 days agoRobbers and Wreckers
-
Business4 days agoSanjiv Hulugalle appointed CEO and General Manager of Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka
-
Business6 days agoNational Anti-Corruption Action Plan launched with focus on economic recovery
-
Business5 days agoBhathiya Bulumulla – The Man I Knew
-
Features3 days agoLiberation Day tariffs chaos could cause permanent damage to US economy, amid global tensions
-
Features3 days agoMinds and Memories picturing 65 years of Sri Lankan Politics and Society
-
Opinion6 days agoSome aspects of China’s development model