Heavy rain expected tonight due to low-pressure zone

Heavy showers could affect multiple regions tonight (15) due to the influence of a low-pressure area located northeast of the island, the Department of Meteorology announced.

The department stated that rainy or thundery weather will hit the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North Western, and Northern provinces, alongside the Anuradhapura, Galle, and Matara districts from time to time.

Some areas might receive heavy falls of about 100 mm. However, the low-pressure system situated to the northeast is expected to move away from Sri Lanka within the coming hours.

Kuliyapitiya recorded the highest rainfall of 193 mm during the 24 hours that ended at 8:30 AM today.

Meanwhile, a minor flood threat persists in certain areas of the Bulathsinhala, Madurawala, and Palindanuwara Divisional Secretariat divisions, as well as low-lying lands near the Kuda Ganga and Maguru Ganga, the Irrigation Department warned.

Low-lying areas of the Attanagalu Oya basin within the Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Attanagalla, Mahara, Gampaha, Minuwangoda, Ja-Ela, Katana, and Wattala Divisional Secretariat divisions also face a continuing risk of minor flooding.

Sluice gates of 19 major reservoirs remain open because of the prevailing wet weather, though water levels in upper catchment reservoirs sit at a lower capacity, Water Management Secretariat Director Engineer Nilantha Dhanapala noted.

Additionally, the National Building Research Organisation extended landslide early warnings for 13 districts—including Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnapura—until 4:00 PM tomorrow, according to a statement issued this afternoon.