Evacuation order lifted

30 October 2012 07:09 am - 9 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Authorities have lifted an evacuation order as a cyclone heading towards the island changed course early on Tuesday and headed towards neighbouring India, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.

Thousands of people living within 500 metres (550 yards) from the coast were asked to move inland, but instead of making landfall the cyclone changed direction towards the south Indian coast of Tamil Nadu, said the DMC.

"Although we did not suffer the full impact, there was a storm surge and in some places the waves were three metres (10 feet) higher than normal," DMC director Sarath Lal Kumara said. There were no reports of casualties.

The local meteorological department said a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal had caused the cyclone, with wind speeds of up to 80 kilometres (50 miles) an hour.

However, when the cyclone was within 100 kilometres from Sri Lanka's northeastern coast, it had changed direction and headed towards India.

Heavy winds and rain killed 19 people in the island's south in November last year.

Sri Lanka depends on monsoon rains for irrigation and power generation, but the seasonal downpours frequently cause death and damage to property. (AFP)

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Comments - 9

Hassan Tuesday, 30 October 2012 07:34 AM

God love the harm less people in Sri Lanka and look how much god love the USA people too

ANTON Tuesday, 30 October 2012 07:49 AM

PRAISE THE LORD.

malkanthi Tuesday, 30 October 2012 07:51 AM

Weather god showed mercy on northerners.

iranga Tuesday, 30 October 2012 08:36 AM

Weather god hates Jayalalitha !!

Mushi Tuesday, 30 October 2012 12:00 AM

Met department can't predict something precisely.So wanted to evacuate just to save their face in any case.Now saying storm changed its direction.Met has a long way to go in science and research.This is common sense.Not science. via DM Android App

Aisha Tuesday, 30 October 2012 11:26 AM

This will make the Sri Lankans quite happy! Anything that hurts the Hindu-Zionist people is good for Sri Lanka! Long live Muslim -sri Lanka friendship!

channa Tuesday, 30 October 2012 11:15 AM

Now it is heading right direction

Anu Tuesday, 30 October 2012 11:26 AM

Will there be an impact on India's new nuclear plant?

malkanthi Tuesday, 30 October 2012 11:32 AM

Sri Lanka will some day end up a state of Muslims!!!

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Evacuation order lifted

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