Heavy rains, landslide again in Nuwara Eliya

by Anura Maitipe

Heavy rains in the central hills during the last two days have endangered the life of people in the Nuwara Eliya district again and a major landslide was reported at Diyanilla in the Walapane Divisional Secretariat where 46 families have been displaced, Nuwara Eliya District Secretary R. M. M. B. Ratnayaka told the 'Sunday Observer'.

He said this was the second such occurrence within the last three weeks and urged the police to evacuate people in areas where more landslides are likely to occur in Maturata Hanguranketa and Walapane. The families evacuated from Diyanilla have been provided with temporary shelter at the Padiyapalella Temple and Maturata school.

The Chief Engineer, Road Development Authority in the Central Province R. M. M. Senaviratna has warned motorists to avoid using the main road between Nuwara Eliya and Walapane. He has also advised motorists to use the Kandy-Badulla road, Rajamawatta and other link roads to Hanguranketa and Walapane to be cautious over the sudden fall of stones and landslides.

Additional District Secretary Nuwara Eliya D. P. G. Kumarasiri said following landslides in the Central hills during the last three weeks 16 people died and another 1,004 families have been displaced in the Nuwara Eliya district.

Meteorologist S. H. Kariyawasm said that the rainy weather will continue for the next few days and monsoonal rains will prevail in the East, Central, North Central and Northern provinces.

The National Building Research Institute (NBRI) has warned the public about the possibility of more sudden earthslips in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura and the Kegalle districts.

The flood gates of the Mahaweli reservoirs and the main storage tanks have been kept open and the irrigation authorities have warned people not to bathe in the main canals of these tanks and rivers.

The NBRI has urged the public to be vigilant over sudden cracks on rocks, emergence of sudden springs, mud water or any other sign of danger of earth slips to inform the NBRI through the Police, Grama Sewaka or Divisional Secretary in the area.