The Meteorology Department has warned that showers or thundershowers are expected over most parts of the island, with heavy rainfall exceeding 100mm likely in some areas of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Northwestern, and Southern Provinces.

The public has been advised to take necessary precautions to minimise potential damage from heavy rain, strong winds, and lightning during the thundershowers.

In response to the heavy rains, sluice gates of several reservoirs had been opened yesterday (19) to manage water levels. The Polgolla Mahaweli Dam Engineer’s Office opened four sluice gates at the Polgolla Mahaweli Reservoir, releasing water at a capacity of 5,190 cubic feet per second into the Victoria Reservoir. The office stated the gates were opened to control potential flooding caused by rainfall in the western slopes of the Central Highlands.

Meanwhile, the Kala Wewa Reservoir has seen two sluice gates raised by two feet each, releasing 3,447 cubic feet per second of water into the Kala Oya. The Irrigation Engineer in charge of Kalawewa and Bowathenna Reservoirs, Buddhika Navaratne had told the media that Kalawewa is receiving 4,545 cubic feet per second of water from upper catchment areas, including the Dambulu Oya.

Six sluice gates had also been opened at the Rajanganaya Reservoir, releasing 4,990 cubic feet per second into Kalawewa, while two gates at the Angamuwa Reservoir were releasing 2,824 cubic feet per second into Kalawewa.

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) had issued Level One Yellow landslide warnings for Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura Districts.

The heavy rains and strong winds have already affected several districts. In Kurunegala, particularly in the Wariyapola and Nikaweratiya Divisional Secretariat (DS) Divisions, 473 people from 111 families were impacted, with 111 houses sustaining partial damage due to high wind. In Anuradhapura’s Thambuttegama DS Division, 36 people from 11 families were affected, and one person lost their life. In total, 509 individuals from 122 families across the country have been affected by the adverse weather conditions.