By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
The death toll from the Aranayake landslide in the Kegalle District could rise to 135, Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Media Spokesman Pradeep Kodippili told The Island yesterday. He, however said the figure had not been confirmed officially.
According to the latest figures issued by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC): disaster have left 58 persons dead; 132 are missing
The Officer-In-Charge of Aranayake Police confirmed only 11 deaths from massive landslide and said 135 remained missing. “Search operations are still going on.”
The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) yesterday declared another 170 landslide prone areas in six districts and called for immediate evacuation of residents from those areas.
In addition a total of 43 people had been confirmed dead due to floods and related disasters across the country since last week.
Over 414,827 people in 22 Districts have been affected by heavy rains and floods as of yesterday evening and over 300,000 of them were evacuated to over 684 safe locations. More than 28 people were listed as missing in flooded areas. Colombo, Gampaha and Kegalle are among the worst affected Districts. About 288 houses have been destroyed and another 3,057 damaged.
Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, Mulaitivu, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Badulla have been affected by heavy rains, floods, landslides and gale force winds.
NBRO Landslide Research and Risk Management Division’s head R.M.S Bandara told the media at the Government Information Department yesterday that 84 landslide prone areas alone in Kegalle district had been identified.
Seven areas in Matale, eleven in Badulla, 36 in Kandy, 24 in Ratnapura and eight in Kalutara had been declared as landslide prone by the NBRO, he said.
Bandara noted that the western slopes of the central hills were prone to landslides with the heavy rains continuing in the country.
According to Bandara, over 80 houses have been destroyed by the Aranayake landslide.
“We had warned the people in Aranayake but they did not take the warnings seriously. There are about 90 people who fortunately left the area before the disaster. The area has received over 500mm of rain within three days.”Bandara said the main reason for the Aranayake landslide was man-made.
Many landslides that occurred in Sri Lanka were man-made and only a few occurred naturally, he said, adding that the landslide in Aranayake had occurred in two steps and two residential areas had been affected.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology Department predicted a sudden increase of rain of about 150mm in the South-western part of the country and strong winds over the country and the surrounding sea areas as the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal had intensified into Cyclonic storm ‘ROANU’ located about 600km north of Kankasanturai.
The Met Department said the cyclonic storm was further moving away from the country.
The Irrigation Department said the water level in the Kelani River had increased its maximum level and it caused heavy floods of over 10 feet in some areas in Colombo.
Director of Water Resources Division of the Irrigation Department Prema Hettiarachchi said the flood in Colombo was the worst in history after 1989.
For the first time ever in history, both upper and lower feeding areas of the Kelani River had received a total of 500mm rains during last three days, she said.
She also said if the rain continues the water level of the Kelani River would further rise and cause severe flood situation if the rain gradually reduced, the flood water would also get reduced but it would take about four days.
The head of the Flood Control Unit in Colombo District D. K. Pathmakeerthi said all areas from Colombo to Kelaniya, Kaduwela and Modera to Hanwella in Avissawella had been affected by the flood.
Secretary to the Mahaweli Development and Environment Ministry Udaya Seneviratne blamed polythene for the flood in Colombo.
Majority of the drainage systems in Colombo had been blocked by polythene and, therefore, the water was not properly flowing out, he said.
Over 170,000 people in Kolonnawa, Colombo, Seethawaka, Thimbirigasyaya, Kotte, Kaduwela, Padukka, Kesbewa, Homagama, Moratuwa and Maharagama were affected by flood and they were evacuated to 64 safe locations. Two deaths were reported from Kolonnawa and Colombo from floods.
Meanwhile, the Nav deployed 61 flood relief teams in the areas worst-affected by the prevailing adverse weather and that as of yesterday over 6,300 people had been rescued and transferred by boats to safe locations.
The flood relief teams are deployed in areas such as Thalduwa, Hanwella, Ranala, Navagamuwa, Malwana, Kegalle, Kaduwela, Mulleriyawa, Dompe, Pugoda, Wellampitiya, Kollonnawa, Biyagama, Kotikawatte, Vavuniya, Vilachchiya and Mandagalaru to promptly engage in any adverse situation.
In addition to this 10 more flood relief teams were kept on standby covering all areas affected by floods to meet any emergency situation, the statement said.
The Education Ministry has declared today a school holiday countrywide due to the inclement weather.
Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said new text books and school uniforms would be distributed to all affected students, if necessary.
Courtesy:The Island