The Meteorological Department has issued a ‘Red’ warning for both land and sea areas surrounding Sri Lanka as a cyclone in the southwest Bay of Bengal continues to develop. The deep depression in the region has intensified into a cyclone and is currently located approximately 280 km north-east of Kankesanthurai and 310 km north-northeast of Trincomalee as of 2:30 PM yesterday.
This system is expected to move west-northwestward, passing over the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast around noon today (30). The impact of the cyclone on Sri Lanka’s weather is likely to decrease gradually following this passage.
Rain is expected to persist across many regions of Sri Lanka over the next few days. Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-Central provinces, and Trincomalee district. Some areas in the Northern province may experience heavy rainfall, with totals exceeding 100 mm.
Other regions, including the Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-Western provinces, and districts of Galle, Matara, Matale, and Kandy, will also receive intermittent showers. Thundershowers may affect remaining parts of the island, particularly during the evening or night.
Strong winds are expected, reaching speeds of around 60 km/h in the Northern, North-Central, North-Western, Eastern, Central, and Southern provinces. Wind speeds may increase to 60-70 km/h at times in the deep and shallow sea areas from Batticaloa to Trincomalee and from Kankesanthurai to Puttalam.
In the affected sea areas, waves may rise to about 2.5-3.0 meters, particularly off the coast from Batticaloa to Trincomalee and Kankesanthurai. These conditions pose a risk to maritime activities, and the fishing community is advised to avoid venturing into the deep and shallow sea areas until further notice.
The Meteorological Department urges the public to stay alert and follow all advisories issued. People in affected areas should contact local disaster management authorities for emergency assistance and take necessary precautions against strong winds and heavy rainfall.
The authorities will continue to monitor the cyclone’s progress and provide updates on further developments.
