Sri Lanka to receive normal rainfall by May or June – Met. Dept

The Director General of the Meteorological Department of Sri Lanka, Athula Karunanayake, announced that the country should expect its normal rainfall by May or June. He shared this information during his appearance on the Ada Derana ‘Big Focus’ program today (6). Karunanayake explained that during the Southwest Monsoon, the rainfall might be less than what is currently seen, possibly decreasing by over 30%. He noted that May is just the start of El Niño, but there is hope that regular rains will return by May and June. Additionally, the Meteorological Department reported that the sun will be directly overhead Sri Lanka until April 15. At 12:13 p.m. today, the sun will shine directly over areas such as Beruwala, Gurulubadda, Rakwana, Godakawela, Udawalawe, and Thanamalwila. The Department also mentioned that while some provinces may experience isolated thundershowers, the ongoing severe dry weather is likely to continue. Due to these dry conditions, water levels in reservoirs have dropped quickly. As a result, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has started a scheduled water supply plan for Colombo and nearby areas that rely on the Labugama and Kalatuwawa reservoirs. The NWSDB announced that there will be a 12-hour water cut for Zone 01 in Homagama and nearby areas starting at 8:00 p.m. today (6) until 8:00 a.m. tomorrow (7). They also confirmed that the water supply interruption for Padukka and nearby areas ended at 8:00 a.m. today. To help with water shortages in the Batticaloa district caused by the extreme dry weather, the Department of Health Services has given a new water bowser to the Batticaloa Municipal Council to assist with local water needs.