A 56-year-old teacher has died after being swept out to sea by strong waves at Kirinda beach on the southern coast, in an incident that underscores fresh warnings about hazardous sea conditions around Sri Lanka.
The group of teachers and students, from a school in the Badalkumbura area of the Monaragala district, had travelled to Kirinda for a co-curricular programme on Monday (May 25), Newswire reported. The teacher was first dragged into the sea, after which several students and a young woman nearby were also swept in while trying to rescue her.
Three officers of the Police Lifeguard Unit — Sergeant Kithsiri, PC Viduranga and PC Madusanka — launched a strenuous rescue operation and brought all of them ashore. Despite the rescue, the teacher later died while receiving treatment at Kirinda Hospital, and an 18-year-old girl sustained critical injuries.
The death came as the Department of Meteorology issued an amber advisory for high waves and strong winds affecting sea areas around the island for 24 hours from 4:30pm on May 26. Waves of 2–3 metres are expected in the sea areas from Kalpitiya to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota, while the seas off Kankesanthurai to Chilaw via Mannar may turn rough at times. Gusty winds reaching up to 60 kmph were forecast along the southern and eastern coasts.
The Met Department and police urged the public, fishing communities and naval crews to exercise caution. The warning extends a period of rough seas during the south-west monsoon’s intensification and renews focus on coastal safety following Sri Lanka’s push for a national drowning-prevention mechanism after a spate of water-related deaths.
