Five dead, thousands displaced: DMC

At least five people lost their lives and more than 8,200 people displaced due to heavy rains experienced in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, North-Western, Southern, Northern and Eastern Provinces, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said yesterday.

It said some 2,250 families had been affected by the showery weather conditions that fully damaged 27 houses and partially damaged 690. They said 11 people were injured and 446 people were moved to safer locations in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya Districts.

690 houses were reported to be partially damaged and 27 houses were reported to be fully damaged.

According to the DMC situation report issued yesterday, a total of 660 people belonging to 158 families had been affected in the Central Province due to heavy rains. 82 people from 22 families had been affected in the Kegalle District. 382 people from 101 families were displaced in the Ratnapura District. 386 people from 75 families had been affected in the Badulla District. 1356 people in 387 families were affected in the Kurunegala District. 5018 people from 1437 families were affected in the Puttalam District. 29 from 5 families in the Hambantota District, 37 people from 12 families in the Jaffna and Mullaitivu Districts had been affected by the rains.

Meanwhile, the Met Department said the prevailing showery condition in the South-Western part of the country particularly in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces) was expected to continue.

It said heavy falls above 100 mm might occur at some places while showers or thundershowers would occur in the other areas, particularly in the Uva and Central provinces.

Fairly heavy falls above 75 mm were likely in Galle, Matara, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa and Ampara districts.

Moreover, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) said landslide warnings were issued to the Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalurata and Badulla districts.

The department requested the general public to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Meanwhile, DMC Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili said sluice gates of Tabbowa, Rajanganaya and Deduru Oya reservoirs had been opened following torrential rains.

He said one of the spill gates of the Kukule Ganga Dam had also been opened due to the adverse weather conditions. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Sheain Fernandopulle)