The Meteorological Department predicted that the effects on Sri Lanka of the cyclonic storm Tauktae will decrease and it is moving towards West India from the Southeast Arabian Sea.
The deep depression which intensified into a severe cyclonic storm yesterday, causing heavy downpours countrywide, leading to floods in many parts of the country is expected to enter the Gujarat Coast on May 18.
Four rivers - Kelani, Kalu, Gin and Nilwala - as well as Maha Oya and Attanagalu Oya started to spill over yesterday morning displacing many families in low-lying areas due to the effects of the cyclone.
By yesterday, four deaths were reported due to inclement weather and the effects of the stormy weather were experienced in several districts.
The heavy downpours in the catchment areas of the Kelani River have caused the river to spill over and many low-lying areas including Peliyagoda, Kelaniya, Kohilawatte and Biyagama areas were inundated yesterday.
According to the Meteorological Department weather advisory, showers or thunder showers were expected in all provinces with fairly heavy showers up to 75 mm in the Sabaragamuwa Province as well as Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy districts.
Two of the four deaths had been reported from the Nagoda area in Galle. The victims were aged 32 and 51 and both deaths had been caused by floods.
A 55-year-old person from Warakapola had died due to a landslide. The mother of the deceased was also buried in the mound but was rescued during a search operation carried out by the Army.
A 22-year-old person who was travelling on the Biyagama-Colombo main road in the Pattiwila area died after being swept away by floods.
Landslide warnings issued for Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura, Kegalle and Colombo districts are still in force.
The Meteorological Department has also warned fishermen to refrain from fishing and navigating in the sea areas from Kankesanthurai to Colombo via Mannar as the wind speed may increase.
The Colombo-Ratnapura road near Avissawella was damaged due to heavy rains triggered by the cyclonic storm Tauktae.
A landslide was also reported in the area. As a result, the road between the police station and the guest house was closed and vehicle movement was diverted via Avissawella town.
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued Level 3 (Red) landslide warnings for three districts – Galle, Kalutara and Matara. Kalutara District (Palindanuwara, Agalawatta, Walallawita, Matugama, Dodangoda, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala).
Galle District (Niyagama, Neluwa, Elpitiya, Baddegama, Thawalama, Galle Four Gravets and Yakkalamulla) and Matara District (Pitabeddara).
Since the rainfall within the past 24 hours has exceeded 150 mm, people living in the aforementioned areas have been asked to evacuate to safe locations to avoid the risk of landslides, slope failures, rock falls, cutting failures and ground subsidence if the showers persist.
A Level 2 (Amber) warning for possible landslides was issued for the following districts. Colombo District (Seethawaka), Galle District ( Nagoda), Kalutara District (Horana), Kegalle District (Warakapola and Dehiowita) and Ratnapura District (Eheliyagoda).