Public urged to pay close attention to announcements issued by Irrigation Dept.

Although heavy rainfall has subsided, the Director General of the Department of Meteorology, Athula Karunanayake has urged the general public to continuously pay close attention to the announcements issued by the Department of Irrigation regarding the flood threat, as the water received in the central regions is gradually flowing downstream.

The Director General pointed out that since the soil across the entire island is now saturated, there is a possibility of landslides occurring in some places and therefore it is important to be cautious of the risk when returning to homes.

Furthermore, as weather warnings are still in effect along the coastal belt from Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai and from Kankesanthurai to Puttalam, the Director General has advised the fishing community to refrain from fishing and naval activities in that area today as well.

He noted that although the direct impact of the cyclone has passed, its indirect effects still remain, with wind speeds expected to increase up to 50 km/h and sea waves rising to heights of 2–3 meters.

He further stated that since wind speeds have decreased in other sea areas, fishermen may, in consultation with the Department of Fisheries, decide whether it is suitable to resume or refrain from fishing activities.