Met Dept. forecasts squall

The Department of Meteorology yesterday warned of rough seas and heavy showers exceeding 100mm in the island during the coming days. 

High winds were forecasted in the area extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota with wind speed expected to exceed 70km/h at times. 

Naval and fishing communities were requested to be vigilant in this regard. Heavy falls of 100 mm are forecast at some places in Western, Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

In the meantime, 156,673 people belonging to 568,082 families in 18 districts, including Moneragala, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Hambantota, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Mullaithivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Kegalle and Ratnapura were said to be affected from the prevailing drought. 

It was also reported that water levels of reservoirs were said to be an all-time low. (Yohan Perera)