More than 158,000 affected in 12 districts
Floods have claimed at least three lives and affected more than 158,000 people in 12 districts, as of yesterday evening, according to the Disaster Management Centre.
Heavy rains over the weekend wreaked havoc, flooding homes, fields and roads and damaged 240 houses and forced nearly 7,000 people out of their home.
Rainfall above 100mm was expected in Sabaragamuwa, Western, Northwestern and Northern Provinces as well as in the Galle, Matara and Trincomalee districts today (15), the Met Department said, warning that showers or thundershowers would occur at several places elsewhere during the evening or night. It requested the public to take adequate precautions to minimise damag caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
The Ministry of Education has instructed the Provincial Chief Secretaries, Provincial Secretaries and the Directors of Education to decide whether to open schools in areas affected by the prevailing adverse weather.
The Education Ministry communicated this in a statement issued pertaining to the matter yesterday afternoon (14).
All government schools in the Gampaha, Kelaniya, Kolonnawa and Kaduwela educational zones will remain closed today (15).
Emergency situations can be reported by contacting the Disaster Management Centre’s hotline 117 or by calling 0112136136, 0112136222, and 0112670002.
