The authorities yesterday issued a flood warning in many parts of the country as the water levels in several rivers began to rise steadily since Friday night following heavy rain.
The water levels in the Kelani, Kalu Ganga, Gin Ganga and Nilwala Ganga were rising due to heavy and continuous rain over the catchment areas, a senior Disaster Management official said.
He warned of minor floods in the Pasgoda, Kotapola, Pitabeddara, Akuressa, Athuraliya, Malimbada, Thihagoda, Matara and Devinuwara District Secretariat divisions.
He said that those living in close proximity to rivers and other low-lying areas should be vigilant. Rainfall above 150 mm was recorded in the upstream catchment areas of the Nilwala River Basin at 4.00 a.m. yesterday, officials said. A Meteorology Department official warned of heavy showers above 100mm, in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and in the Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.
Strong winds are also expected in several parts of the country including the Northern, North-Western, North-Central and the Southern provinces sometime later today, he said.
Officials also warned the Navy and fishing community against rough seas whipped up by strong winds. Strong and gusty winds at a speed of between 60 to 70 kmph were likely over deep and shallow sea areas surrounding the country due to the South-West monsoon, they said.
They said strong winds could be expected in the sea areas stretching from Trincomalee to Pottuvil via Kankesanturai, Mannar, Puttalam, Colombo, Galle and Hambantota.
Showers or thundershowers will also occur, at times, in the sea areas extending from Mannar to Batticaloa via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota, they said.
Around 475,000 homes were hit by a power outage during the early hours of yesterday after power lines were brought down by falling trees that had been uprooted by gale-force winds, officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said.
They said that homes in the Puttalam, Kurunegala, Kegalle, Gampaha and Galle districts were affected.
Repair teams of the CEB were later sent to the affected areas to restore the power supply to households as soon as possible, the officials said.