The Irrigation Department has warned that there may be a flood situation in the Kelani River Valley in the next 48 hours as the upper and middle reaches of the Kelani River basin are receiving significant rainfall.
The water levels in the river water gauges maintained by the Irrigation Department in the Kelani River basin have risen to flood level and the residents of Dehiowita, Ruwanwella, Sitawaka, Dompe, Homagama, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Kolonnawa, Colombo and Wattala Divisional Secretariat Divisions are cautioned to be vigilant about this climatic development by the Irrigation Department.
In the meantime, the Irrigation Department announced that there is a risk of flooding in several low-lying areas of Atthanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys in the next 48 hours.
As the areas of the Attanagalu Oya basin have received significant rainfall over the last 24 hours, flood risk notices have also been issued for low-lying areas belonging to Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Attanagalla, Mahara, Gampaha, Minuwangoda, Ja-Ela, Katana, and Wattala Divisional Secretariat Divisions.
Meanwhile, the water level of Nilwala, Kelani and Ging rivers is rising and the water level of Kalu Ganga has reached a level of danger of minor river water above the overflow level of 5.2 meters of Muwagama automatic water gauge.
The Disaster Management Center (DMC) also stated that it is essential to be extremely cautious while using the river water as the tide is high. The National Building Research Organization (NMRO) has issued landslide warning notices for nine districts.
Warning notices have been issued for the districts of Galle, Kalutara and Kegalla under phase 2, while landslide warning notices have been issued under phase 01 for the districts of Badulla, Colombo, Gampaha, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura.
The DMC emphasizes that the people around the rivers and the people in the areas where landslide warnings have been issued should be extremely vigilant.
The DMC informed the people to temporarily leave the areas especially if they see signs of landslides by surfacing of springs, uprooted trees and electric poles, cracks in the ground.
The 117 DMC hotline will be active 24 hours for emergency operations and rescue teams are already stationed around rivers and mountain risk zones.
The Welipenna interchange on the Southern Expressway was temporarily closed yesterday (11) due to a minor flooding situation.
The Department of Meteorology has announced that due to the turbulent nature of the atmosphere around the country, the current rain situation is expected to continue in the South-Western part of the country.
Heavy rains of more than 150 mm may occur in some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, South, North-West, and Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
In other parts of the island, there may be rain or thundershowers at some places during evening or night and there may be more than 75 to 100 mm of heavy rain in those places.
In Western, Sabaragamuwa, South North West and Central Provinces, strong winds of 47 to 50 kilometers per hour may occur from time to time.
The Meteorology Department requests people to take necessary measures to reduce the dangers caused by strong winds and lightning.
