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What happened, where and when?
In response to the significant intensification of the southwest monsoon, which commenced in mid-May 2024 and further escalated on 2 June 2024, an unprecedented rainfall of 400 millimeters was recorded in certain regions of Sri Lanka. This exceptional weather event has resulted in severe flash floods, mudslides, and substantial wind damage across the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Northwestern, Central, and
Southern provinces
The water levels of key rivers, including the Nilwala Ganga River in Matara, the Gin Ganga River in Galle, the Kalu River, the Attanagalu Ganga River in Gampaha, and the Kelani River in Colombo, have risen, leading to overflow and affecting more families in low-lying areas
The following districts have experienced the most significant damage:
• Western Province: Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara
• Southern Province: Matara and Galle
• Sabaragamuwa Province: Ratnapura
• Northwestern Province: Puttalam
Government and Organizational Response:
The Sri Lankan government has deployed its relief teams (Navy and Army troops) to assist the flood-affected districts. So far, the teams have rescued 102 individuals in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Galle, and Matara districts. As a precautionary measure, electricity was cut off in up to five districts to avoid electrical shocks in flooded areas, causing many people to spend the night in the dark.
Several flights arriving at Colombo’s main international airport were diverted to Matale airport.
The Ministry of Education announced the closure of all schools across the island on June 2, 2024. Schools in the Galle, Matara, Gampaha, and Kalutara districts were closed on June 3, and schools in the Sabaragamuwa Province were closed on June 4 due to the adverse weather conditions. Many schools have been flooded, and students have lost their school materials and stationery.
Meteorological Warnings:
Landslide Risks - the severely affected districts are also at risk of landslides due to the prevailing showery conditions. The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings at various levels (1 to 3) for several divisions in these districts. The NBRO issued ‘Red’ (Level 3) landslide alerts for several areas in the Colombo, Kalutara, Ratnapura, and Kegalle districts. ‘Amber’ (Level 2) and ‘Yellow’ (Level 1) alerts were issued for several other divisions in the Southern, Western, and Sabaragamuwa provinces.
The Department of Irrigation extended flood warnings for the Gin River Basin in the Galle district, the Nilwala River in the Matara district, the Kelani River Basin in the Colombo district, and the Attanagalu Ganga River in the Gampaha district due to rising water levels above the flood alarming level. On June 3, 2024, a section of Gampaha town flooded due to the overflowing of the Attanagalu Oya. The Department of Meteorology has warned that the Southwest Monsoon is set to intensify in the coming weeks due to global warming and the La Niña weather condition. This heightened intensity raises concerns about potential flash floods and related disasters. The increased intensity means a greater volume of rainfall in a shorter period, a departure from the usual spread over a more extended period. Recent weeks have seen rainfall intensity increase to 100 mm per hour, attributed to changes in atmospheric wind flow . As the water level in the river continues to rise in downstream areas due to water flowing from higher lands, there is a high possibility of increased water levels in the low-lying areas of Ratnapura, Matara, Galle, and Gampaha districts. Additionally, there is a high possibility of a gradual increase in the current floods in the low-lying areas of the Ratnapura and Kalutara districts in the next 48 hours. The flood situation in the upstream low-lying areas of the Ratnapura district will persist, with a slight decrease expected.