News
Level Three Red Alert warnings issued to multiple areas in Kegalle, Kurunegala, and Kandy districts
Death toll rises to 20
By Ifham Nizam
Disasters caused by continuing freak weather has raised the death toll to 20 yesterday from landslips, floods and electrocution since Monday.
The Meteorological Department official says all is not over as the low pressure area in the south-east Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression during next 36 hours and move West-Northwestwards towards North Tamil Nadu coast.
There can be very heavy showers or thundershowers, with strong winds up to (60-70) kmph associated with rough seas around the country.
The Disaster Management Centre yesterday stressed that it would obtain the support of police and even resort to legal remedy to remove people who refuse to relocate from landslide risk areas.
DMC Director General, Maj. Gen. (retd) Sudantha Ranasinghe warned that legal action would be taken against people who travelled to disaster-stricken areas unnecessarily.
The DMC Director General said Red Alert Landslide Warnings had been issued to multiple areas in the Kegalle, Kurunegala, and Kandy Districts.
Landslide Early Warnings were also issued prone areas in Badulla, Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, Ratnapura, Matale, and Nuwara Eliya Districts on Wednesday (10).
The 20 fatalities were reported from Badulla, Matale, Mullaitivu, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Kegalle and Galle districts.
The DMC says 126 Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions in 17 districts have been affected by disasters caused by inclement weather.
Some 62,200 people from 17,481 families were afflicted.
Nearly 1,498 individuals displaced due to torrential rains are currently staying at 23 emergency shelters.
Eighteen houses in total have been destroyed while 960 have sustained partial damages.
Irrigation Department Director Hydrology/Disaster Management S.P.C. Sugeeshwara yesterday said flood levels had come down in most areas.
Level 3 (Red) alert has been issued to the following areas:
Kandy District – Harispattuwa, Doluwa Yatinuwara, Udapalatha, Pasbage Koral, Gangawata Korale, Udunuwara and Ganga Ihala Korale DS divisions
Kegalle District – Yatiyanthota, Ruwanwella, Rambukkana, Aranayake, Kegalle, Mawanella, Bulathkohupitiya, Warakapola, Dehiowita, Galigamuwa and Deraniyagala DS divisions
Kurunegala District – Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Mawathagama, Polgahawela, Rideegama and Narammala DS divisions.
News
Establishment of an Institutional Framework to Inagurate Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 08.06.2026 to establish the Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority for identification and
execution of a formal and long – lasting remedy to secure the central hills including the upper hydro catchment areas enabling them to sustain amidst extreme weather conditions
due to natural calamities and human activities as well as to be used for the sustainable development of the country.
Accordingly, a concept paper has been prepared including
institutional structure, activities, powers, active subject area as well as administrative and coordination mechanism for the proposed authority by an expert technical committee appointed by the Secretary to the President.
Based on the said concept paper, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the President to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill including legal provisions required for the establishment of Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority.
News
Introduction of Flora and Fauna (Regulation of actions of the Indigenous Community within the nominated areas) Regulations
With the objective of securing the traditional livelihood and the eco system of the indigenous community, it has been recognized the necessity of introducing a formal regulation methodology to secure their engagement in livelihood activities by being more sensitive to the existing laws.
Thereby, the Fauna and Flora (regularizing) regulations under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (Authority 469) have been prepared so that nominated activities within the prescribed area to a member of the indigenous community
who has been registered for securing the rights acquired from law or custom or usage or traditional stance to execute an act within a certain state land that is fundamental to the survival of the indigenous community permission can be granted
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the said regulations in the government gazette notification and thereby submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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