LNP – Red alert issued to 19 districts; heavy showers expected: Met Dept.

A red alert has been issued for 19 districts as heavy showers of over 100 mm is expected, the Department of Meteorology said today.

They said the red alert was issued due to the prevailing low-level atmospheric disturbance over the south-east of Sri Lanka and the adjoining south-west Bay of Bengal, which has developed into a low-pressure disturbance and is currently located in the east of the island.

The department said fairly heavy rainfall of more than 100 mm could be expected in some places in Eastern, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Northwestern, Western, and Southern provinces and in the Polonnaruwa district.

The weather conditions are expected to intensify during the next 24 hours, but the lower atmospheric disturbance is likely to move northwestwards.

Accordingly, the 19 districts, including Trincomalee, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegla, Matale, Batticaloa, Gampaha, Kegalle, Kandy, Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Ampara, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Monaragala, Galle, Matara, and Hambantota, have been alerted over fairly extreme weather conditions.

Furthermore, the department stated that fairly heavy showers of over 75 mm could be expected in some places in the island.