Floods along airport road

19 May 2010 03:07 am - 22 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

Some parts of the Colombo-Katunayaka road have been closed as the roads are under water and the police have urged the public to use alternate routes or use the flooded roads only for essential travel.

Police Spokesperson S.P. Preshantha Jayakody told Daily Mirror online that the Seeduwa police area has been completely flooded and only heavy vehicles can get through. “The water in this area is about 3 feet high and it is impossible for small vehicles like motorbikes and three wheelers to get through. We also urge the heavy vehicle users to take this route only if essential,” SP Jayakody said.

Meanwhile Disaster Relief Centers have been set up in 10 locations in the Colombo district and the police have requested all those affected by the floods in Colombo to seek relief at these Centers. (JN)

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 22

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:42 AM

It's every man for himself now. So stop bickering about the Govt and politicians because they never come to the aid of the people in times of need - UPFA or UNP. All Politicians are idiots anyway. We are bigger idiots to have voted for them.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 11:38 PM

Ranil and the UNP are being blamed for the floods, etc. in Sri Lanka. What has the PA government been doing since 1994? Ask politicos to fill more land and invite more flooding.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 11:15 AM

My wife and I, being visitors to Sri Lanka, made it to our flight at 1:30am with absolutely no time to spare this morning. The road to airport blocked by the severe flooding, impassable by car, only buses. Road blocked with broken down and flooded vehicles. We abandoned our car and driver to hitch a ride with an airline's crew-bus. That was a good move. As a visitor to your country, it was quite a difficult dilemna to solve. Our car stranded, people talked about 'a bus' that could take people to the airport, but nobody knew where to catch it from!
We were totally ignorant of any 'alternate routes', as was our driver. Certainly Sri Lanka offers its visitors 'adventure' tourism - if you like wading through thigh-deep water with your luggage at midnight!

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 09:10 AM

In Sri Lanka you don't need the police or govt to tell you everything. You just need to ask a local along the highway and they will happily oblige and give you the precise directions. There are certain things where indigenous methods work much better than techniques used by 'developed' countries.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 07:58 AM

Alternate roads to the airport??? Minuwangoda road is flooded up to at at least 04 feet, Averiwatte under water, the Katunayake/Colombo road too is immovable, so where are these alternate routes???

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 06:27 AM

In that case lets airlift all the passengers to the airport. or make magic bridges to help them to travel. silly people and silly statements.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 06:14 AM

Exactly. We will protest anything. If there is an accident its the governments fault. If it rains, its the governments fault. Every time something happens they undermine the fact that we are indeed going to be the 'Miracle of Asia'. They are not just mocking the country, they are mocking themselves, because in their statements even though they try to show this country is useless, but infact they are only showing that they themselves are of no worth to this nation.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 06:11 AM

Though the police advice to use alternate roads can they name one. There isn't a single road that is passable from Colombo or from Minuwangoda side to Air port. However the police could hv averted the mess people underwent yesterday (I was in the bus for 5 hours from 5 pm and reached Negombo at 11 pm) by having a combined transport service with buses from Colombo to Ja-ela and by train from Ja-ela to Negombo, chilaw etc., Just a littel bit of cordination and commitment would have helped as we hardly can go do anything about bad weather.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:53 AM

why Ranil. Have you just woken up cynic???

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:52 AM

As Army and Navy already in action, why not use Airforce to trasnport people to airport?

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:50 AM

Flooding at Seeduwa happened 2 or 3 years back.
Not a new one. So blame to Ranil or JVP and VOTE to MR and Filix Perera.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:20 AM

we're getting a taste of what Bangladesh goes through! Hope and pray that this comes to an end,or else we wil have to start standing on our roofs.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:36 AM

Bluff Bluff,

Thats a briliant suggestion, forget the out of towners even the locals find it difficult to navigate. Thank you.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:08 AM

This is the scenario in many areas including Kotte. Politicians have squandered low lying areas, filling indiscriminately. Former president was responsible for the biggest such mis-deeds (Waters' edge). Sadly, I hear the president and ministers talk of flood relief but no one is talking about infrastructure development (reclaiming water retention areas, improving drainage, pump stations etc.) to prevent this from happening again.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 05:01 AM

Our residance area Raddolugma in Seeduwa Police area ( 11 zone has flooded) is only without flood and we are unable to move and need urgently assistance to travel. All roads to main road (Colombo Katinayake ) are flooded and blocked and thausand of people are detained. The Govt. should take immeediate solution to over come the vest situation in Seeduwa area.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:53 AM

Want to know one of the main reasons why the Ja-Ela, Seeduwa, Katunayake areas are under so much water? One stupid politician had filled up the Muthurajawela marsh lands to allow people to illegally put up houses there, thus blocking the outflow of rainwater towards the sea.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:47 AM

airport highway should be built.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:46 AM

let us protest for raining.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:42 AM

Chemical fires ( even the chemical is not identified!), floods, blocked roads, poor people thrown out to the streets: what else do we need to become the "Miracle of Asia"? All talk only and no action - even if you have 200 cabinet ministers, nothing will change.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:32 AM

By merely telling people to use alternate routes to come to airport, the poice are just insulting the public. If a passenger from Monaragala or Jaffna is trying to get to the airport to catch his/her plane, how can he know the alternate routs? Why can't these police officers publish in the media a road map, showing the alternate routs to the airport and the roads that are impassable due to floods for the convenience of the public to travel to the airport?

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:32 AM

Ranil's short lived government of 2002/3 should be blamed for all woes such as these.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010 04:22 AM

yes indeed.we live in Minuwangoda and the road is terrible.main routes to airport through Katunayake are congested.relatives can't make it to airport.

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Floods along airport road

Comments - 22

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

‘Spike in blast fishing’ poses renewed threats to Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystems

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Most Viewed in News

SL on alert on possible genocide allegations by Canada

Racing event tragedy leaves seven dead including eight-year-old child

Train fails to halt, crashes onto Colombo Fort platform

Two racing drivers arrested over Fox Hill tragedy

Ranil Wickremesinghe caravan moves on despite barking dogs

Sri Lankan among NASA’s new crew for next simulated Mars journey

MIRROR CRICKET

Is Chamari Athapaththu Sri Lanka’s greatest cricketer ever?

Athapaththu back atop ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings

Chamari Athapaththu sets big goal for T20 World Cup

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

TODAY'S HEADLINES

SL took minimal steps to punish officials who committed human rights abuses: US report

Iranian President’s visit Sri Lanka withstands western pressure

25 tons of solid waste disposed along Sri Pada route

Temperature rises to ‘Caution’ level

Sri Lanka secures third spot in South Asian Kurash Championship 2024

Athapaththu back atop ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings

Army forms committee to probe Diyatalawa Fox Hill Supercross accident

Indian cricket manager indicted for Legend Cricket League match-fixing allegations