Over 5000 people affected by floods; situation expected to intensify by Wednesday

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Over 5,000 people have been affected by floods by 08 am on Friday, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).It said that a motorcyclist had been swept away by flood waters at Aluthwela, Walaharuwa, and search operations are underway to find him, the DMC said.

The Meteorological Department said that they expect heavy rains to continue in the coming days. The highest rainfall recorded in the 24-hours that ended at 8am on Friday was reported from Hiniduma, Galle (175 mm), the Met Department said.

Athula Karunanayake, Director General of the Met Department said that the prevailing rainy weather will intensify by Wednesday, November 29. An atmospheric disturbance is occuring in the Bay of Bengal and it is slowly approaching Sri Lanka, he said.

Meanwhile the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) extended the landslide warning it had issued for several areas in the districts of Badulla and Ratnapura.