Amid heavy rains Mass evacuations ordered after red warnings for four districts

• Steps taken as a precautionary measure, due to continuous Northeast monsoon rainfall  
• Affected families are being relocated to designated safe shelters for a 10-day period as a precautionary measure  

By Yohan Perera  

Evacuation of residents from landslide-risk areas in Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale districts began yesterday afternoon and is scheduled to conclude by this morning, following the issuance of a Red Evacuation Warning by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) due to the prevailing Northeast monsoon rains, an official said.   

DMC Deputy Director and Media Spokesman Pradeep Kodippili said the operation covers 40 Divisional Secretariat divisions identified as highly vulnerable to landslides. Affected families are being relocated to designated safe shelters for a 10-day period, from December 9 to December 19, as a precautionary measure. 

“The people in these areas will have to be in temporary places for ten days,” he said.   

Acting on DMC directives, District Secretaries in coordination with district disaster management units are overseeing the relocation of communities from high-risk locations to safety.   

According to advisories issued by the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), Red Warnings have been declared for several Divisional Secretariat divisions in the four districts.   

In the Kurunegala District alone, residents from the highly vulnerable Mallawapitiya, Rideegama and Mawathagama divisions have already been moved, with 2,607 persons belonging to 707 families accommodated at 17 temporary shelters, according to Viraj Dissanayake, Deputy Director of the Kurunegala District Disaster Management Centre. 

He added that, under the guidance of Kurunegala District Secretary Chandana Dissanayake, all necessary facilities including food, drinking water and basic medical support are being provided to those currently staying at the shelters.   

Authorities have urged the public living in landslide-prone areas to strictly comply with official evacuation notices and remain vigilant until weather conditions improve.   

(Additional reports by Dinesh Samarakoon and Janur Kichilan – Kurunegala)