Heavy rains in several Districts

Meteorology Department’s Forecasting Division Director Shiromani Jayawardena said that there is a chance of thunderstorms in the evening in the Eastern, Uva, Vavuniya, and Mullaitivu areas in the next few days and rains can also be expected in some places in the southwest today (11) and tomorrow (12).

During the past few days a hailstorm was experienced in several areas and several houses were also damaged.Heavy rains fell at several areas of the Moneragala District on August 9 evening ending the severe drought that had prevailed and area residents said that even hail was seen. Rains were received in the Divisional Secretariat areas of authority of Moneragala, Buttala, Madulla and Siyambalanduwa. In Wedikumburu Marawa 32 area of Moneragala, rain had brought hail as well for about two minutes.

Moneragala Disaster Management Unit Deputy Director Ravindra Kumara said that about ten houses had been partially damaged due to falling trees with the heavy rain. He said that details of these damages will be obtained from the Divisional Secretariats and arrangements will be made to pay compensation.

Ending the drought that lasted for more than six months, Wahalkada D 01, 02, 04, 05 and 06 villages belonging to Kebithigollewa and Horowpothana Divisional Secretariats experienced on the evening of 09 August to hail together with strong winds which caused damage to about sixty-five houses in the area. Divisional Secretaries of Kebithigollewa and Horowpothana said yesterday (10) that damages will be estimated and arrangements will be made to pay compensation to the affected house owners.

Twenty-one houses in Wahalkada D 04, D 05, and D 06 areas sustained damage as a result of the torrential rain experienced and strong winds that prevailed. Kebithigollewa Divisional Secretary Vajira Ratnayake said that Grama Niladharis have reported that ten houses have experienced total damage.

Meanwhile, Horowpathana Divisional Secretary M.K.G.Morawaka said that Grama Niladharis of the areas have reported that about 45 houses in Wahalkada D 01 and D 02 villages belonging to the Horowpathana Divisional Secretariat division have been damaged due to the heavy rains and strong winds and that six of the houses have been completely destroyed.

Since, several trees had fallen due to the strong winds, based on instructions of Officer-In-Charge of the Wahalkada Police, Inspector R.G.M.D.Harischandra officers of the police station together with residents of the area had taken steps to remove the fallen trees and branches.

Amidst the rain and strong winds experienced on August 9 at about 3.00pm, hail had fallen too. Villagers of Wahalkada D 04 said that huge lumps of ice fell during that time.

In the meantime, a 46-year-old individual of Wahalkada D 04 village had experienced cuts due to a sheet of asbestos and had been admitted to the D 04 hospital with minor injuries, for treatment, a spokesman of the Wahalkada Police said.

After the severe drought that prevailed for a period of about four months, rain was experienced in several areas of Kantalai day on Wednesday (9). Farmers said that due to the rain, the paddy they had harvested and was drying as well as the paddy that was being cut have been affected due to the rain. The Agriculture Department said that during this season, farmers of Kantalai had cultivated about 30,000 acres of land. Rains fell in the Badulla District as well after the drought of several months,on August 9 evening.Residents of these areas said that rain was experienced in Passara, Bandarawela, Haliela, Keppetipola, Diyatalawa, Lunugala and other areas for more than one and a half hours. As a result of the drought, fires and a number of other environmental problems were experienced in forest reserves, throughout the Badulla District. As a result of the torrential rains that were experienced in Vavuniya and adjacent areas after several dry months, some areas experienced hail falling and due to the wind that arrived with the rain, travel on railway lines, and roadways was hampered.

Twenty-three houses in the areas of Vavuniya and Padaviya were partially damaged and destroyed due to the wind and rain. Botree junction in Padaviya and Welioya experienced hail together with the rain.

Vavuniya, Poonewa and Siyambalagaswewa areas experienced strong winds together with rains and several trees had fallen across the railway line. As a result, the Yaaldevi train was delayed for about four hours until these obstructions were removed.Although rain was experienced in certain areas for about two hours, rain adequate for cultivation purposes had not been received.

(Rasula Dilhara Gamage, Nishantha Abeygunawardena, Percy Kuruneru, Sumithra Kumarihamy and D.S.Gunathilaka)

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