Severe lightning warning issued for several provinces and districts

Colombo, Jan. 12 (Daily Mirror) - The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Meteorological Department has issued an advisory warning of severe lightning accompanied by thundershowers for Western, North-Western, and Sabaragamuwa provinces, as well as the Galle and Matara districts. The alert, released at 12:00 noon today (January 12), is valid until 11:00 p.m. tonight.

Authorities have warned of the possibility of temporary localized strong winds during the thundershowers and have urged the public to take precautions to minimize damage.

The Department of Meteorology has advised people to:

• Seek shelter indoors and avoid standing under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations, and water bodies.
• Refrain from using wired telephones and connected electrical appliances during storms.
• Avoid traveling in open vehicles such as bicycles, tractors, and boats.
• Be cautious of fallen trees and power lines.

Follow instructions from local disaster management authorities in case of emergencies.

Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay alert and take all necessary safety measures as the storms move across the region.