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| The city of Ratnapura. Picture: The Guardian |
"With the start of the Southwest monsoon over Sri Lanka, torrential rains – the worst to hit the country since 2003 – inundated the western and southern regions of the country. Many incidents of deadly landslides had been reported along with flash floods causing 203 deaths and 96 people missing. The authorities expect the number of casualties to rise as the situation evolves. Currently, 77,643 People are reported as displaced in 368 evacuation centres in 15 districts (out of 25).
However, this number does not include the people stranded in their homes without Access to safe locations or those who are sheltering at host families. Therefore, the actual number of People displaced and affected could be significantly higher than reported. The search and rescue operations are facing difficulties receiving information about location and stranded people due to power outages and telecommunication hindrances (e.g. no battery power in mobile phones).
Five major river basins (Kelani, Kalu, Gin, Nilwala and Attanagalu Oya) are flooded since 26 May 2017 and the flood water continues to rise in many locations. Flood resistant damns along many rivers are either overflowing or reaching saturation points with some already at risk of breach. The Department of Irrigation had issued warning to People living in downstream in Kalutara district to evacuate with immediate effect on 28 May 2017.
The Department of Meteorology warns of continued heavy rainfall (above 100 mm) throughout the same areas on 30 May 2017. Strong winds (about 80 kmph) and thundershowers are expected over the country.
On 29 May, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced that all schools in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Ratnapura and Kegalle will remain closed until 2 June.
Based on available information, at least 16 hospitals were evacuated fully or partially as facilities were directly affected by the floods or exposed to landslides according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners. Affected hospitals are evacuating critical patients with the support of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. Several hospitals in the affected areas are without electricity which has critically impeded their operability."
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| Ground view of flooded framland in the village Kandana, next to Kalu Ganga. Photo: Siripala Gamage, 31 May 2017. |
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Kalu Ganga (blue line) flows from Ratnapura through Kalutara District. The red-coloured areas represent lowlands inundated by floods per 29 May 2017. The mapping was done using CSA Radarsat-2 Satellite data. Kalu Ganga basin is the second largest river basin in Sri Lanka covering 2,766 km2 and much of the catchment is located in the highest rainfall area of the country, which reflects the high annual rainfall. The annual rainfall in the basin is averaged to 4,000 mm and leads to 4000 million m3 of annual flow.The Kalu Ganga originates from the central hills of wet zone at an altitude of 2250 m and garners rainfall on the western slopes and falls out to the sea at Kalutara after traversing about 129 km. Due to its hydrological and topographical characteristics, the lower flood plain suffers from frequent floods. Note the location of HELP's village centre, in Dolahena near Horana.
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| Rescue operations on 28 May 2017 after a big mudslide in Baduraliya, southern part of Kalutara District. Source: NYTimes. |
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| The Nilwala River originates at an altitude of 1050 m, and traverses 70 km before the river flow is discharged into the sea at Matara. The total river basin is 1073 km2. |
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