Heavy rain to lash island till month-end

Colombo, Oct. 18 (Daily Mirror) - The adverse weather condition is expected to continue across most parts of the country until the end of the month, the Department of Meteorology said.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Deputy Director of the department, Meryl Mendis, said, “Since this is the inter-monsoon season, the rain is expected to persist until the end of this month or mid-November.”

According to the department, showers or thundershowers will occur in many areas after 1.00 p.m., with some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, North-Central, and North-Western Provinces likely to experience heavy falls of over 100 mm.

Morning showers are also expected in the Western Province and in the Galle, Matara, and Puttalam Districts.

In light of the prevailing conditions, the Met Department yesterday issued a severe lightning advisory for the Central, North-Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, and North-Western Provinces, as well as the Ampara District.

The advisory, effective until 11.00 p.m., placed 12 districts under red alert and 11 districts under amber alert.

Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued early landslide warnings for ten districts — Badulla, Galle, Gampaha, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura.

Residents in these areas are urged to remain vigilant for possible landslides, slope failures, rock falls, and ground subsidence due to the persistent heavy rains.