El Nino to cause higher rainfall during inter-monsoon period

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Sri Lanka would receive higher rainfall than usual in the inter-monsoon period, (October and November) due to the El Nino phenomenon, Director of the Meteorological Department Athula Karunanayake told The Island on Tuesday.

Rains occurred in the evening or night during the inter-monsoon period, he said.

Karunanayake said that reservoirs in the central highlands would receive adequate rainfall.

He pointed out that during this period, there were lightning strikes. People had been asked to be vigilant and not to be in places, like open grounds where they are the tallest objects, Karunanayake said.

“The Meteorology Department is also planning to introduce Doppler radar technology that would improve accuracy of our weather reporting,” he said.

Director General of the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) Engineer Asiri Karunawardena said that heavier than usual rains during the inter-monsoon period would lead to a series of earth slips and landslides in the coming weeks.

“We have already received plenty of rain in the past few weeks. The soil is saturated.