Extreme weather claims lives of three persons since Sunday

By Norman Palihawadane

The inclement weather,prevailing in the country since Sunday morning, has claimed the lives of three persons and injured another, police said yesterday

 Due to the prevailing rain situation, Level 1 and Level 2 Landslide Early Warnings have been issued to 20 divisional secretariat divisions in the districts of Galle, Kalutara, Kegalle, and Ratnapura.

 Nawalapitiya Police said that a 62-year-old person died on Sunday (03) when a mound of earth collapsed on him due, to bad weather, while he was laying a foundation for a parapet wall.

 Meanwhile, a person who went to bathe in the Gin Ganga fell into the water and drowned. Also, a father of three died on Sunday (03) after falling from Rakwana Duli Falls.

Five vehicles were damaged when a kohomba tree fell on the Our Lady of Sorrows Church at Ja-Ela. An elderly woman was seriously injured and hospitalized after the roof of her house collapsed in Kamburugoda, Bandaragama.

The Colombo District Disaster Management Unit says that many people were affected in a number of Grama Niladhari divisions in Kolonnawa, Deans Road in Maradana, Grandpass South, Madampitiya and Wanathamulla Grama Niladhari divisions as the rain water did not drain quickly after heavy down pours on Sunday morning flooding the areas.

Vehicular traffic was also disrupted in Colombo and in many parts of the island due to fallen trees.

The Meteorology Department said due to activation of the South West Monsoon, rain conditions are expected in the South West part of the country.

Showers, or thundershowers, will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central and North-western provinces. Fairly heavy showers, above 50mm, are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the districts of Galle, Matara and Nuwara-Eliya.

Heavy rain has been falling on the western slopes of the central hills since Saturday midnight. The water level of Maskeliya Oya has risen rapidly due to heavy rains in Miriakotte and Sri Pada Reserve, where Maskeliya Oya originates, which mainly supplies water to the Maussakelle Reservoir. The water level of the Gartmore Waterfall and Moray Falls, which supply water to the Maussakelle Reservoir, has also risen.

The water level in Keselgamu Oya has risen due to heavy rains falling since Sunday morning in Bogawanthalawa, Mahaeliya Reserve, which is the main water catchment area of Castlereagh Reservoir. Due to the overflow of Keselgamu Oya, which mainly flows into the Castlereagh Reservoir, many roads, leading to Bogawanthalawa and Kotiagala estates, have been flooded.

Due to the heavy rains and strong winds that are falling intermittently on the western slopes of the central hills these days, there is a risk of trees falling and mounds of earth collapsing on the Hatton-Colombo and Hatton-Nuwara Eliya main road. Police are requesting motorists to exercise caution when travelling on those roads.

The Irrigation Director’s Office says that the water level of the Gin Ganga is rising, with the further activation of the upper fed areas of the river due to the ongoing torrential rains.

Gin Ganga Irrigation Engineer Piumi de Silva said the water level of the Baddegama water gauge had increased to 3.73 meters at 9 am Sunday, raising the risk of a minor flood situation in the Baddegama area. Due to this, the low-lying cultivated lands and many byways in the areas of Agaliya, Mulkada, Pathawelivitiya, Bambarahikada, Navakkada, etc., on both sides of the river, were flooded.

Meanwhile, the water level in the Thavalama water gauge has increased to 2.92 meters, the Engineer said.