More than 1,600 people affected by severe weather across Sri Lanka

More than 1,600 people have been affected by adverse weather across Sri Lanka by Tuesday morning, with one person killed and another reported missing, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.

According to the DMC, 1,616 people from 458 families in 41 Divisional Secretariat divisions across 10 districts had been affected between 18 September and 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

A spell of strong winds on Sunday night damaged five houses in the Galahitiyawa North Grama Niladhari Division and caused severe damage to electricity lines in the area.

The DMC said 94 people from 26 families had been moved to three safe centres.

Meanwhile, the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal to the north-east of Sri Lanka has developed into a depression and is expected to intensify into a deep depression within the next 24 hours, the Department of Meteorology said.

Although the system is not expected to have a direct impact on Sri Lanka, winds being drawn towards it are likely to maintain rainy conditions over the south-western parts of the country.

Showers or thundershowers are expected at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts, with heavy falls of around 100 millimetres possible in some areas.

Several spells of rain are also expected in the North Central Province and Mannar district, while showers or thundershowers may develop after 2 p.m. in Uva Province and in Batticaloa and Ampara districts.

Strong winds of around 40 to 50 km/h may occur at times over the western slopes of the central hills, the North Central and North Western provinces and in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Matale districts.

The public has been advised to take precautions against strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

The Meteorology Department also warned that rain and wind conditions over the Bay of Bengal would intensify because of the depression.

Fishermen and naval vessels have been advised to avoid sea areas between 5 and 22 degrees north latitude and 85 and 100 degrees east longitude until further notice. Those already operating in the area have been urged to leave.

Showers or thundershowers are expected at times in sea areas off the coast from Kankesanthurai to Hambantota via Puttalam, Colombo and Galle.

Winds around the island will be south-westerly at 30 to 40 km/h, increasing to 55 to 60 km/h at times in sea areas from Kankesanthurai to Chilaw via Mannar and from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota.

Those sea areas may become rough at times.

Wave heights of around 2 to 2.5 metres are possible in sea areas from Puttalam to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Matara.

The department warned that seas could become temporarily very rough during thundershowers because of sudden strong winds.