General

The main road from Nawalapitiya to Kandy has reopened to vehicles today, the 15th, after being closed for 18 days due to damage from Cyclone Ditwah. Workers repaired the road by clearing away earth that had slid down during a landslide, making it safe for travel until a long-term fix can be made, as there is still a chance of more landslides in the area. The Road Development Authority (RDA) has advised drivers to be careful while using the road until all construction is finished. There are also some restrictions on heavy vehicles using this route. The repair efforts involved the RDA, the 6th Corps of Engineers Regiment, local police stations from Nawalapitiya and Ethgala, the Pasbage Korale Pradeshiya Sabha, and various other groups. After the road reopening, Member of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe told reporters that most of the roads in Pasbage Korale that were damaged have now been fixed. She noted that the Ulapane-Kandy road, which is still being repaired, should reopen within about a week.