A shocking accusation has emerged as former MP Lakshman Kiriella claims that the catastrophic flooding in Kandy, which claimed more than five hundred lives, was not merely a natural disaster but a preventable tragedy caused by the failure to release water from the Victoria Reservoir on time.
Former Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Lakshman Kiriella says the Mahaweli River overflowed because the spill gates of the Victoria Reservoir remained closed continuously and water was not released systematically as required. Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo, he said this failure directly led to the Kandy city being submerged, causing unprecedented destruction.
He stated that Kandy had never seen such flooding in its history and that main roads which had never been affected by rising waters turned into rivers overnight. According to him, more than five hundred people in the Kandy district lost their lives due to the disaster. He also claimed that Gampola city was severely flooded because the Kotmale Reservoir was opened suddenly without proper coordination. He added that between twenty five and thirty deaths were recorded in each electoral constituency within the district, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.
Mr. Kiriella said the authorities could have opened the reservoir floodgates gradually as soon as the Meteorological Department warned of heavy rains on November 12. He argued that early action based on accurate weather predictions would have reduced the extent of flooding and saved many lives.
He further alleged that the government’s relief mechanism for Kandy city and surrounding villages was not functioning effectively. The former MP pointed out that the Disaster Management Committee, which is responsible for taking immediate decisions during emergencies and includes members from both the government and opposition, had not convened for almost a year.
