A total of 2,676 people from 762 families have been affected by adverse weather across Sri Lanka, the Disaster Management Centre said on Saturday, as the Irrigation Department opened the sluice gates of 40 major reservoirs.
Twenty-seven people from five families have been moved to safer locations, NewsFirst reported, citing the centre.
Rivers at flood risk
The Irrigation Department said the Nilwala Ganga at Thalgahagoda remains at minor flood level, with the river still flowing at flood-risk level. The Gin Ganga at Baddegama and the Kalu Ganga at Millakanda are also at flood-risk level.
The department urged people living in low-lying areas to remain vigilant.
Red alert offshore
The Department of Meteorology has advised fishing and naval communities not to venture into the South-East Bay of Bengal from Saturday until further notice. A red alert has been issued for strong winds and rough seas, tied to the development of a low-pressure area in the region.
That advisory extends the warnings issued on Friday, when the system over the Bay of Bengal reached depression stage a day earlier than forecast and fishing was banned off the north and east.
What the filing does not establish
The report gives island-wide totals only. It does not break the 2,676 figure down by district, say how many houses have been damaged, or report any deaths or injuries. It does not name the 40 reservoirs whose gates have been opened, give their water levels or discharge rates, or say how many people live downstream of them.
It also does not state how long the red alert is expected to hold, or whether the low-pressure system is the same Bay of Bengal depression that prompted Friday’s fishing ban — the filing describes it only as “a low-pressure area in the region”.
Separately, the Irrigation Technical Assistants’ Association said its members will withdraw from daily water operations and the provision of rainfall data from 15 to 17 November in a dispute over budget allowances.
No other reachable verified newsroom had carried the Disaster Management Centre’s Saturday figures at the time of writing.
