Heavy rain on Friday evening flooded roads across Colombo and its suburbs, bringing traffic to a standstill during the evening rush hour, police said. Rail services from two of the city’s main stations were delayed by a separate signal fault, and the Department of Meteorology has forecast more heavy rain.
Police reported major congestion along several key roads in the capital as floodwaters slowed vehicles and made driving conditions difficult, Daily Mirror reported. Hiru News named Borella, Maradana and Armour Street among the main roads affected, with several stretches under water and vehicle movement obstructed.
NewsFirst reported that intense rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems, leaving motorists stranded and commuters facing long delays. Authorities urged drivers to take care in affected areas and to use alternative routes where possible.
Rail delays
The Department of Railways said trains were running late because of a fault in the signalling system. The two accounts of where the fault lies differ: Daily Mirror reported it near the Wellawatte, Fort, Maradana and Alawwa stations, while Hiru reported delays to trains running from Colombo Fort and Maradana.
Neither outlet said the signal fault was caused by the weather, and neither connected the two events. Alawwa, roughly 60km from Colombo on the main line, is well outside the flooded area.
More rain forecast
The Department of Meteorology has forecast fairly heavy falls above 75mm at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva and North-Western provinces, and in the Galle and Matara districts.
The warning follows a wet week islandwide, with 17 major reservoirs spilling and health authorities advising pregnant women on Jaffna’s islands to move to urban areas ahead of the monsoon.
No casualties, evacuations or property damage had been reported by any of the three newsrooms at the time of filing.
