• Up to 150 mm of rain forecast
• Rivers rise and spill gates open
• Red warning for deep-sea fishermen
• 278 persons moved to relief camps

Sri Lanka is bracing for several days of heavy rain, strong winds and possible flooding as Cyclone ‘Arnab’ continues to intensify over the Bay of Bengal, even though the storm itself is not expected to directly affect the island, officials said yesterday (26).

The cyclonic storm, which formed over the east-central and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal yesterday, approximately 1,100 km north-east of Kankesanthurai, after moving westwards, the Department of Meteorology said. It was expected to move west-north-westwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay by 5:30 p.m. yesterday, before strengthening further into a very severe cyclonic storm today (27).

Although the cyclone will not make landfall here, wind flows associated with it are expected to increase rainfall over the south-western parts of the island in the coming days. Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara said that with ‘Arnab’ intensifying into a very strong cyclone by today, rainfall of 100-150 millimetres (mm) was expected in some areas of the Northern, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Central Provinces.

Showers or thunderstorms are expected at times in the Northern, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-Western, Central and North-Central Provinces and in the Trincomalee District, with fairly heavy falls above 75 mm likely at some locations. Showers may occur in other parts of the country after 1 p.m. Strong winds of 40-50 kilometres per hour (kmph) are expected at times over the western slopes of the Central Hills, the Northern, North-Central and North-Western Provinces, and the Trincomalee and Hambantota Districts.

The Department also issued an Amber advisory for heavy rain covering the Northern, Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-Western, Central and Southern Provinces and the Anuradhapura District. The advisory, issued at 3 a.m. yesterday, remained in force until 5:30 a.m. today, with rainy conditions expected to continue over the next few days.

In the past 24 hours, Karandipowal in the Puttalam District recorded the highest rainfall at 195.7 mm, followed by Kuliyapitiya (193 mm) and Illuppaikkadavai (187.5 mm).

Irrigation Department Director of Hydrology and Disaster Management L S Sooriyabandara said a minor flood situation had developed in the Kalu Ganga at Ratnapura and in its downstream areas, while rising water levels in the Kelani Ganga and the Attanagalu Oya posed a risk to residents of low-lying areas. With water also being released from the Deduru Oya, Rajanganaya, Tabbowa and Inginimitiya reservoirs, people living in low-lying areas downstream have been urged to remain vigilant.

Jayasekara said 278 individuals from 72 families in the Ampara, Colombo, Gampaha, Matara and Ratnapura Districts were being directed to relief camps in their respective areas by the National Disaster Relief Services Centre. He added that the tri-forces, the Police, the Civil Security Department and the Coast Guard Department had been readied to respond to any emergency.

The Department has issued a red warning for strong winds and rough seas for multi-day fishing vessels operating in the deep and shallow sea areas of the Bay of Bengal, where wind speeds may increase to 80-100 kmph at times and waves may reach three to four metres. Naval and fishing communities have been advised not to venture into the sea areas bounded by latitudes 10°N to 20°N and longitudes 80°E to 95°E until further notice, while those already in these areas have been told to move away.

The public has also been urged to take precautions against damage caused by temporary, localised strong winds and lightning, and to closely follow official warnings.

The warnings come less than a year after Cyclone Ditwah struck the island on 28 November 2025, in what became Sri Lanka’s worst natural disaster in two decades.