Kelaniya faces flood threats: Residents Urged to Evacuate Immediately

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Department of Irrigation says the major flood risk in the Kelani River continues to rise.

Residents of the Mewella, Pethiyagoda, Sinharamulla, Peliyagoda Gangabada, Welegoda, Hunupitiya North and Hunupitiya South Grama Niladhari Divisions of the Kelaniya Divisional Secretariat have been informed to immediately move to safer places.

Kelaniya Divisional Secretary J.A.D.G.S. Ranasinghe stated that some areas are currently flooded.

She stated that the water level in the Kelaniya River may rise further in the next few hours.

The Kelaniya Divisional Secretary is urging people to immediately evacuate to the safety shelters established at the 

- Vihara Maha Devi Pilgrimage Hall at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya
- Gurukula College
- Sri Dharmaloka College,
- H.K. Dharmadasa High School,
- Sri Jayathilakarama Viharaya,
- Wedamulla Maha Vidyalaya,
- Dutugemunu Maha Vidyalaya
- Welipara Viharaya

Over 21,000 people from 4,000 families in the Kelaniya Divisional Secretariat have been affected.


Engineer Sakura Dilthara of the Hydrology Division of the Department of Irrigation stated that the Kelani River is currently at a major flood level.

She added that the නාගලගම් Street water gauge is currently at 6.4 feet, and that the major flood level is reached when it exceeds 7 feet.

She also added that apart from this, the water levels of Deduru Oya and Attanagalu Oya are rising continuously.

Meanwhile, with the prevailing heavy rainfall, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued red evacuation warnings to several Divisional Secretariat areas across seven districts.

Accordingly, the warnings are in effect for the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, and Nuwara Eliya.

In addition, early landslide warnings have been issued for the districts of Galle, Matara, Kalutara, Ratnapura and Colombo.