Colombo, June 1 (NIA) – Sri Lanka’s Meteorology Department on Thursday said that more monsoonal rains were expected across the island as relief workers continued to clean up areas affected by floods and landslides following severe rains since Friday.
In its latest weather report, the Met Department said showery conditions were expected to enhance to a certain extent in the South-western part of the country on Friday.
Showers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Central and North-western provinces. Fairly heavy falls about 75 mm can be expected at some places, particularly in the Colombo, Kaluthara, Gampaha, Ratnapura and Kegalle districts, which were the worst affected by the floods and landslides.
Showers or thundershowers will occur in the Eastern, Uva, North-central provinces and in the Vauniya districts, particularly in the afternoon, the Met Department forecasted.
Fairly strong winds about 50 kmph can be expected during showers.
203 people have been killed and 95 people missing since severe rains lashed across the island since Friday flooding entire villages and towns in the southern and south central districts.
Over 640,000 people have been affected while 100,000 people have been evacuated to safe locations.
International aid has poured into the island after its government made an urgent appeal to the UN and neighbouring countries for relief and assistance. China, India and Pakistan have deployed their naval troops to the country who are presently coordinating with the Sri Lanka Navy to distribute aid and relief supplies and clean up areas which are still flooded.
With a massive task ahead of them, Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday said that it will start rebuilding homes to provide to families who had lost their homes in the disaster. The government has also pledged compensation to the victims.
