Around 35 minor ground instability incidents reported amid heavy rain

Around 35 minor ground instability incidents have been reported across Sri Lanka amid continuing heavy rainfall, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) said.

NBRO Senior Geologist Dr Imaya Ariyaratne said, on Monday, that the incidents reported so far were relatively minor, but warned that they could worsen if the heavy rain continued.

She said rainfall had exceeded 300 millimetres over the past three days and that prolonged intense rain could increase the risk of landslides, rockfalls, subsidence and embankment failures.

No major ground instability incidents have been reported so far, she said.

Fourteen districts are currently considered vulnerable to landslides, with red landslide warnings issued for six of them.

Ariyaratne said the number of areas placed under red alerts could increase if the intensity of the rainfall rose further.

As landslide warnings are issued on an area-specific basis, the NBRO urged the public to closely follow alerts issued for their localities.

People who have previously been identified by divisional secretariats as living in high-risk areas and advised to evacuate have been urged to move immediately to safer locations.