Flash floods kill 16, displaces 140,000

• Troops weather tough conditions as relief operations continue

The death toll due to the persistent bad weather in several parts of the country has risen to 16 with one missing and nearly 140,000 displaced.

According to the latest report of the DMC issued at 12.00 noon, at least 16 people have lost their lives due to the severe weather conditions experienced over the island from 20 May, while one person has been reported missing.

More than 138,200 people from over 35,000 families in 20 districts have been affected, and 13,199 families have been evacuated to 231 welfare centres in 10 districts.

With the Met Department forecasting the existing inclement climate to continue, security forces personnel engaged in rescue and relief operations have stepped up their activities to reach out to flood-affected communities.

Army troops launched a rescue and relief operation in the early hours yesterday to rescue a group of people in Thabbowa who were left stranded due to their village getting flooded with the opening of the spill gates of the Thabbowa Reservoir.

The operation launched by the troops under Security Force Headquarters - West (SFHQ-West) at dawn had saved 123 people of 36 families from imminent danger.

The rescued families were relocated to a safe location at the Thabbowa temple. These people were rescued using boats and other available means by the troops who were assisted by the Disaster Management Centre and the Divisional Secretariat.

Fresh thunder showers experienced in the north-western region, especially in the Puttalam area, has inundated many localities, including some roadways.

Mellawa in the Puttalam region has recorded the highest rainfall of 122.7mm during the last 24 hours.

Floods caused by overnight showers have affected many remote villages including Thabbowa, an agricultural village in Puttalam. All the spill gates of the Thabbowa Reservoir have been opened after the tank had reached spill level and, as a result, many areas in the lower region have experienced flooding.

Meanwhile, weather forecasts predict fairly strong gusty winds at about 50 kmph over the island.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-Western and Northern provinces.

Heavy rain falls (about 100-150mm) at some places in the Sabaragamuwa, Western, Central and North-Western provinces, and in the Galle, Matara, Jaffna and Mannar districts are also predicted.