Stormy weather brings threat of landslides

Earth tremor recorded in some areas

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Stormy weather condition prevailing in most parts of the country would continue as South West monsoon was setting in, the Met Department says. There would be landslides if rains continued, it warns.

Duty forecaster of the Met Department P. G. Yasaratne told The Island that Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and Galle and Matara Districts would get more rains during the next few days.

Some parts of Kurunegala and Hambantota Districts would also get rain, he said.

"Showers or thundershowers can be expected especially in the morning and evenings," he said, adding that people were advised to take precautionary measurers to minimize lightning related hazards.

Yasaratne said that the South West sea areas would be rough at times and the speed of wind might increase to 70 kmph from 40 kmph.

The Disaster Management Centre warned people in some districts to be vigilant about landslides.

DMC Assistant Director Lal Sarath Kumara told The Island that some parts of the Kegalle, Ratnapura, Nuwara Eliya, Kalutara, Galle and Matara Districts were under threat of landslides if rain continued for the next 24 hours. He said that minor earth tremors had been reported from Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Diyatalawa, Ratnapura, Ampara and Mannar areas at 9.52 pm on Saturday.

According to the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau the tremors had been recorded in Hakmana and Pallekele earthquake monitoring centres, Kumara said. However no damages or casualties had been reported, he said.

Head of the Landslide Research Division of the National Building Research Organisation R. M. S. Bandara said landslide risk areas had been identified and people had been informed of the precautionary measures to be adopted.

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