Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura

In weather news, the Department of Meteorology issued a forecast at 5:30 AM on May 22, 2026. The South-West monsoon is starting to establish itself over the island, and rainy conditions in the south-western regions are expected to continue for several hours. Showers or thundershowers may occur intermittently in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-western provinces, along with Galle, Matara, Kandy, and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Some areas in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-western provinces could see very heavy rain exceeding 200 mm. Similarly, heavy rain over 100 mm is likely in parts of Galle, Matara, Kandy, and Nuwara-Eliya. In the Northern province and Anuradhapura district, several periods of rain are expected. Showers or thundershowers may also occur in Uva province and parts of Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2:00 PM. Winds could be quite strong, reaching speeds of 35-45 km/h at times, especially over the Western slopes of the central hills, as well as in the Northern, North-central, North-western, and Southern provinces, and in Trincomalee district. The public is advised to take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of damage from strong winds and lightning during thundershowers. In a separate news story, a French appeals court has ruled that Airbus and Air France are guilty of manslaughter in the crash of flight AF447, which occurred in 2009 between Rio de Janeiro and Paris, claiming the lives of 228 people. This disaster is known as the worst aviation tragedy in France's history. The Paris Court of Appeal determined on Thursday that both companies were "solely and entirely responsible" for the crash and ordered them to pay 225,000 euros (about $261,720) for each victim, which is the highest fine applicable for corporate manslaughter. While these penalties are mostly symbolic, they conclude an eight-week trial that the families of the victims viewed as their last opportunity for justice, especially after a lower court had acquitted both Airbus and Air France. Both companies have consistently denied all allegations.