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What happened, where and when?
DENGUE OUTBREAK:
Dengue cases in the country consistently increased since the start of 2023. The number of reported cases was three times greater than that of the corresponding period in the preceding two years (2021 and 2022). A greater quantity of reported cases was observed in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Galle, Kegalle, and Kandy in the Western, Southwestern, Central, and Eastern provinces.
As published by "Adaderana" on 14 May 2023, the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) documented nearly 4,000 newly identified cases of the dengue virus in the initial two weeks of May 2023. This development generated significant apprehension regarding the possibility of an epidemic. Furthermore, as of 15 May 2023, the NDCU reported that the spread of the Den-3 variant of the dengue virus expedited the virus's transmission throughout the nation, with 33,742 dengue cases documented on the island. The largest number of dengue cases was 7,017 in Colombo District. Gampaha had 7,602 instances; Kalutara had 1,984. Seven of the 22 dengue-related deaths in the first half of 2023 were only in the Western Province, according to the NDCU.
The increased rainfall induced by the Southeast monsoon during May 2023 prompted health officials to issue a warning about the possible severity of the dengue outbreak. The unfavorable weather exacerbated mosquito breeding, accelerating the spread of the disease, and the number of patients admitted to the hospital increased. The government implemented several dengue prevention initiatives in diverse Colombo districts during the peak months of May to September 2023. The medical facilities that accommodated the greatest number of dengue patients were the National Teaching Hospital in Kandy, Colombo National Hospital, District General Hospital in Negombo, Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Colombo South Teaching Hospital (Kalubowila), Trincomalee General Hospital, and Lady Ridgeway Hospital. Despite their efforts, these facilities barely managed to handle the surge of cases.
CYCLONE MOCHA RELATED FLOODS:
The severe cyclonic storm "Mocha" strengthened over the East-Central Bay of Bengal, prompting Sri Lanka to face strong winds of 50-60 km/h, which escalated to 70 km/h in sea areas. In addition, severe rain occurred in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and North-Western provinces, as well as Galle and Matara districts. Heavy rains, high winds, and flash floods caused the water levels in the Nilwala and Gin rivers to surge to dangerous levels.
The Department of Meteorology Centre (DMC) reported that eight Divisional Secretary divisions in Matara were severely damaged on 16 May 2023. The indirect impact of the cyclonic storm "Mocha" generated heavy downpours and high winds that destroyed houses and trees, preventing access to various areas. The intensity of the situation caused flash floods in low-lying Galle and Matara districts, damaging agricultural lands and standing crops, as well as homes, common buildings, and marketplaces.
The water level of the main rivers increased, submerging the small and medium-sized bridges and culverts. This resulted in access roads being shut off in the districts, leaving people trapped or forcing them to wait until the water retreated. The DMC also claimed that several schools in those areas have been inundated due to severe rainfall since 15 May 2023, and pupils have lost their school materials/stationery because of the flooding that has affected their homes.
Schools in several educational zones in the Southern Province were temporarily closed on 15 May due to unfavorable weather conditions. The Department of Irrigation extended a flood warning message that had been issued for the Gin River Basin on 16 May 2023.
A significant level of flooding occurred in the low-lying areas of the Gin River, which is in the Baddegama, Niyagama, and Nagoda Divisional Secretariat Divisions of the Galle district. On 17 May 2023, the DMC situational report indicated that 14,986 people in 3,640 households were affected by the flood in seven districts.
As of 17 May 2023, a total of 48,728 people were affected by the dengue and flood crises overall due to the situation