Weather takes 14 lives, injures 21 since 8 November
a year ago
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BY Buddhika Samaraweera
At least 14 persons have died and 21 persons have sustained injuries while one person has gone missing in incidents related to inclement weather conditions since 8 November to date, according to Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reports as of 6 a.m. yesterday (25).
The highest number of deaths, a total of seven deaths due to inclement weather conditions, has been reported from the Puttalam District. In addition, six deaths have been reported from the Trincomalee District and one death from the Hambantota District. The injured persons have been identified as residents of the Puttalam and Trincomalee Districts.
In addition, between 29 October and 6 a.m. yesterday, a total of 151,219 persons belonging to 42,233 families in 28 divisional secretariat (DS) divisions in eight districts have been affected due to inclement weather conditions. Among them, a total of 114 persons belonging to 30 families are staying at six safe centres.
Several property damages have also been reported, including 56 complete damages, 452 partial damages, and 174 other damages.
Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings for a total of seven districts, given that the rainfall has exceeded 75 mm in many of the areas. Accordingly, the NBRO has issued Level II (amber) landslide warnings to the the Ududumbara DS Division in the Kandy District, the Rideegama DS Division in the Kurunegala District, the Ambanganga Korale DS Division in the Matale District, and the Eheliyagoda DS Division in the Ratnapura District.
In addition, the NBRO has issued Level I (yellow) landslide warnings for the Padukka DS Division in the Colombo District; the Agalawatta, Bulathsinhala, Palindanuwara, and Ingiriya DS Divisions in the Kalutara District; the Medadumbara, Pathadumbara, and Pathahewaheta DS Divisions in the Kandy District; the Narammala, Alawwa, and Mawathagama DS Divisions in the Kurunegala District; the Rattota and Ukuwela DS Divisions in the Matale District; the Hanguranketa, Walapane, Nuwara Eliya, Ambagamuwa, and Kotmale DS Divisions in the Nuwara Eliya District; and the Ratnapura and Ayagama DS Divisions in the Ratnapura District.
During the landslide 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 in the floors and walls of buildings that are built at slopes, and the sudden appearance of springs and emergence of muddy water.
Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology yesterday warned of heavy showers above 100 mm at some places in the Northern, North Central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and Uva Provinces and in the Puttalam and Trincomalee Districts, while fairly heavy showers above 75 mm can be expected at some places elsewhere.
In the weather forecast issued for today (26), the Department has stated that the low pressure area that prevailed over the South West Bay of Bengal still persists to the east of Sri Lanka. Since showers or thundershowers will occur at times in most parts of the island, the general public was requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.