The Department of Meteorology has issued a ‘Red’ level advisory for strong winds and rough sea conditions covering the northern and north-western coastline, instructing naval and fishing communities not to venture into the worst-affected sea areas until further notice.
Sea areas off the coasts extending from Kankesanthurai to Kalpitiya via Mannar will be very rough at times, with strong gusty winds of up to 60–70 kmph, Ada Derana reported, citing the Met Department. The wider coastal belt from Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai via Mullaittivu and from Kalpitiya to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota will be rough at times, with strong gusty winds of 50–60 kmph, and fishing and naval communities operating in those waters have been told to remain vigilant.
The Met Department said wave heights may increase to about 2.0–2.5 metres in the sea areas off the coast extending from Mannar to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota — covering most of the populated southern and western coastline.
The Red advisory is an upgrade in alert tier from the 75mm rainfall forecast covering the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces issued earlier on Saturday and from the Amber strong-wind advisory in force since June 12. It is the first Red-tier sea-state advisory of the current south-west monsoon cycle and pairs with the Irrigation Department warning that the Kalu Ganga and Attanagalu Oya are nearing minor flood level at multiple gauging stations.
The accompanying onshore wind window also raises the risk of falling trees and power outages, particularly along the Castlereigh–Wimalasurendra hydropower corridor where high winds historically translate into transmission-line trips. Coastal districts in the four-district NBRO landslide warning zone — Kalutara, Galle, Kegalle and Ratnapura — should remain alert to saturated-slope failures.
Source: Ada Derana — ‘Red’ advisory issued for strong winds and rough seas.
