The Mayoress, expressing regret over the flooding of Colombo, calls an emergency meeting

With the heavy rainfall of 129 mm that poured into Colombo city within a few hours yesterday (06) afternoon, the true state of the capital's infrastructure was once again clearly demonstrated. Due to many low-lying areas of the city being submerged, daily life was severely affected, and a more serious situation was reported from the Colombo National Hospital.

Due to heavy rain, the National Hospital's emergency department, outpatient department, radiology department, operating theaters, and several patient wards were submerged. It was reported that several elevators in the emergency department also became inoperative due to the flooding, and hospital staff had to make great efforts to transfer patients to other wards. According to reports, this situation arose because the Colombo Municipal Council failed to properly clean and maintain the Norris Canal. In addition, unauthorized constructions on both sides of the Norris Canal and the improper disposal of garbage from shops have also contributed to this.

With the heavy rain, several roads were submerged, causing severe disruptions to traffic on major roads in and around Colombo, and people traveling in the evening had to face long delays on the roads. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Railways Department states that the technical fault in the railway signaling system that occurred in several parts of the island due to adverse weather conditions has now been fully restored, and train services have resumed according to the normal schedule.

A special discussion has been convened this morning (07) to find urgent solutions to the problem of Colombo city being submerged by rainwater. Colombo Mayor Vrai Cally Balthazaar stated that this emergency meeting was called with the participation of representatives from all relevant government institutions, taking into account the flood situation that occurred yesterday afternoon. She pointed out that although Colombo city's drainage system is designed to withstand only about 30 mm of rainfall, this unusual situation was created due to receiving nearly five times that amount of rainfall yesterday.

Expressing regret over the severe inconvenience caused to residents, the Mayor emphasized that the Colombo Municipal Council will work closely with other government institutions to find immediate solutions to the problem. Representatives from the Police, Tri-Forces, Divisional Secretariats, Governor's Office, Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation, and Urban Development Authority are expected to participate in this discussion, with a special focus on finding solutions for issues related to the city's drainage systems, canal networks, and road infrastructure.

While authorities are seeking urgent solutions, the Department of Meteorology has issued the latest warning notices for today (07). Rain or thundershowers may occur at times in the Northern, Eastern, and Uva provinces, while rain is expected in other parts of the island after 1:00 PM. Heavy rainfall exceeding 100 mm is anticipated in some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and North Western provinces, as well as in the Galle and Matara districts. Furthermore, misty conditions may prevail in some areas of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and Uva provinces during the early morning hours.

Rain or thundershowers will occur at times in the sea areas around the island, and winds will blow from the northeast or from an indefinite direction at a speed of 20 to 30 kmph. Although sea areas are generally slightly rough, during thundershowers, wind speeds can increase to 60-70 kmph, making those areas temporarily very rough. Accordingly, the Department of Meteorology further requests the public to take necessary precautionary measures to protect themselves from lightning and temporary strong winds that may occur during thundershowers.

Of the 2 videos shown here, one depicts how roads were submerged, and the other shows how the ground floor of the Colombo National Hospital and the People's Park shopping complex were submerged.

Watch the video of Colombo roads submerged by water›

Watch the video of how the National Hospital and People's Park were submerged›