The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has warned that heavy rain could affect several parts of Sri Lanka from 13 to 15 November, as a low-pressure area is expected to form over the south-eastern Bay of Bengal.
DMC Director and Spokesperson Pradeep Kodippili said the system is expected to develop around 13 November and could bring heavy showers to several areas of the island. He spoke at a media briefing at the Government Information Department on Wednesday and urged the public to stay alert to changing weather and to follow official advisories.
The Department of Meteorology said in its 36-hour forecast, issued at 4PM on Wednesday, that showers or thundershowers are expected in most parts of the island after 1PM, with falls exceeding 100 mm likely in some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and Uva provinces. Showers are expected in the Northern Province and the Trincomalee District. Some areas may be misty in the early morning.
The department also asked the public to take precautions against temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) issued Level 2 Amber landslide warnings, valid from 4PM on Wednesday until 4PM on Thursday, for Deraniyagala, Dehiowita, Aranayake and Mawanella in the Kegalle District, Nildandahinna, Walapane and Ambagamuwa Korale in the Nuwara Eliya District, and Eheliyagoda, Elapatha, Ayagama and Weligepola in the Ratnapura District. Level 1 Yellow warnings were extended to several divisions in the Badulla, Colombo, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts.
Background
The DMC is the state agency that coordinates disaster preparedness and response in Sri Lanka, and it issues public advisories when severe weather is forecast. The Department of Meteorology issues the island’s official weather forecasts and marine warnings.
The NBRO uses colour-coded landslide warnings. Yellow indicates that residents should be aware of the risk, while Amber is a higher level at which people in susceptible areas are asked to be vigilant and prepared to leave if the rain continues. Hill-country districts such as Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura have repeatedly recorded landslides during periods of prolonged rain.
Heavy rain also flooded several roads in Colombo on Wednesday and disrupted traffic, Newswire reported.
What it means
Residents of the districts under Amber warnings are advised by the NBRO to watch for signs that a slope may fail and to move to safer locations if heavy rain persists.
Motorists and commuters in low-lying parts of Colombo and other western areas may face further delays on flooded roads. People planning travel to the hill country between 13 and 15 November can check the latest advisories from the DMC and the Department of Meteorology before setting out.
