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Inclement weather wreaks havoc 

03 Aug 2022

  • Four dead, three missing, 8,000 affected
  • Deaths in N’Eliya due to cutting failures/floods
At least four persons have died, three others have gone missing, and nearly 8,000 people have been affected due to the incidents related to inclement weather conditions in all parts of the country since Monday (1), according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) as of 6 a.m. yesterday (2). The highest number of deaths due to inclement weather conditions – three – has been reported from the Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretariat (DS) Division in the Nuwara Eliya District. The three deaths have been caused by cutting failures and flooding. In addition, a video in circulation shows three people from among a group of people trying to walk through a large stream of water, before suddenly falling into the stream and being swept away. According to reports, the bodies of the three persons concerned have not been found so far. Furthermore, a total of 7,649 persons, belonging to 1,766 families, in 14 DS Divisions in five districts, namely Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Galle, and Ratnapura, have been affected due to inclement weather conditions. Among them are five persons belonging to one family in the Jaffna District, 393 persons belonging to 93 families in the Nuwara Eliya District, 3,378 persons belonging to 726 families in the Kandy District, two persons belonging to one family in the Galle District, and 3,871 persons belonging to 945 families in the Ratnapura District. A total of 3,046 persons belonging to 643 families out of the affected are staying at 16 safe centres islandwide. When contacted by The Morning, an official of the DMC stated that the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, and the Police have been deployed to all locations affected by inclement weather. According to him, the Security Forces would be carrying out rescue operations when and where necessary. The Army had also rescued nearly 120 people including children trapped in a landslide that occurred along the road between the Ranwantenne-Makandura areas near the Kotmale New Town early yesterday (2) morning. A total of 25 incidents of partial property damage have also been reported. Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) had issued landslides warnings for a total of eight Districts, given the rainfall exceeding 75 mm in many of the areas on Monday (1). Accordingly, the NBRO has issued level two (amber) landslide warnings to the Walasmulla DS Division in the Hambantota District, the Ganga Ihala Korale and the Meda Dumbara DS Divisions in the Kandy District, the Aranayake and Yatiyantota DS Divisions in the Kegalle District, the Ukuwela DS Division in the Matale District, the Pasgoda DS Division in the Matara District, the Ambagamuwa and Kotmale DS Divisions in the Nuwara Eliya District, and the Elapatha, Kalawana, Nivithigala, Kahawatte, Kuruwita, Imbulpe, Pelmadulla, Eheliyagoda and Ratnapura DS Divisions in the Ratnapura District. In addition, the NBRO has issued level one (yellow) landslide warnings for the Nagoda DS Division in the Galle District, the Delthota and Pasbage Korale DS Divisions in the Kandy District, the Dehiowita DS Division in the Kegalle District, the Athuraliya and Mulatiyana DS Divisions in the Matara District, and the Balangoda DS Division in the Ratnapura District. During the landslides early warning period, the NBRO advised the public to pay attention to the development of cracks on the ground and ground subsidence, the slanting of trees, cracks appearing in the floors and walls of buildings which are built at slopes, and the sudden appearance of springs and emerging muddy water.  


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