Water level in Kelani River has risen -- Update

Water level in Kelani River has risen -- Update

When it was announced about a 'major flood situation', the water level of Kelani River had gone up to 7 feet and by 8 o'clock in the night it had escalated to 7.3 it was understood. This situation had occured even without any rainfall last evening.

Mrs. Prema Hettiarachchi, Director of the Hydro-Science Unit of the Irrigation Department has mentioned that the water level of Kelani River could further go up.

It is said that in the instance of a flood, the flood circulates upwards not from the mouth of a river but from top downwards.  As a consequence, there is a delay of several hours for the water to accumulate and start flowing. As such, it is not rational for somebody to think that floods would subside simply because there is no rain. Therefore residents have been advised to be away from those locations. As a result of the incidence of torrential rain and the heavy downfall towards the top region of Kelani River a large number of hamlets on either side of the Kelani River in Colombo District already have been submerged by water.

As such, 171,135 persons of 35,513 families in Wellampitiya, Sedawatta, Kolonnawa, Kaduwela and Hanwella areas have been left desolate. The Disaster Management Centre has informed that over 148,801 belonging to 30,726 families have been thoroughly distressed.