Bad Weather Update: 31 Lives Claimed in 10 Days

 The prevailing adverse weather conditions across the island have affected 17 districts, with 31 disaster-related deaths reported in the past 10 days, according to the Disaster Management Centre. The highest number of these deaths, 18, have been reported from Uva Province, with an additional 7 deaths from Sabaragamuwa Province and 4 deaths from Central Province.

Specifically, the Badulla District Disaster Management Centre states that several people have lost their lives due to landslides in areas including Kandaketiya, Heggoda, and Madolsima in Badulla District, with others still missing.

Furthermore, district secretaries confirm that four people have died due to landslides affecting two houses in the Walapane area of Nuwara Eliya, and four people are missing in the Pathahewaheta and Ududumbara areas of Kandy District. Overall, 4,008 individuals from 1,158 families across 79 Divisional Secretariat divisions have been affected, with 10 people sustaining injuries.

Disaster relief divisions indicate that 131 individuals from 41 families have been relocated to safe shelters due to the prevailing hazardous conditions.

Heavy rainfall has severely disrupted traffic on numerous roads. The Polonnaruwa - Batticaloa main road has been temporarily closed due to flooding in the Manampitiya Gallella area. Additionally, the Colombo - Kandy road has been closed since last night, and authorities have also temporarily closed the Nuwara Eliya - Gampola main road near Gerandi Ella due to the risk of rockfalls. Warnings have been issued advising drivers to exercise extreme caution as many roads in the Central Province remain in hazardous conditions.

Meanwhile, a bus traveling from Monaragala to Colombo was caught in floods near the Kumbukkana Ranga Hotel, but police and locals successfully rescued all 23 passengers using tractors. Furthermore, the old Bentara bridge, built in 1902 and currently out of use, reportedly collapsed completely last night. According to the Department of Meteorology, the highest rainfall recorded in the 24 hours ending this morning was 300.1 mm, reported from the Rugam area of Batticaloa.

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