Vehicles move through a flooded road in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, on June 2, 2024. Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) issued a major flood alert in the outskirts of capital Colombo and several other areas of the island as heavy rains lashed across the country on Sunday. (Photo by Gayan Sameera/Xinhua)
COLOMBO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) issued a major flood alert in the outskirts of capital Colombo and several other areas of the island as heavy rains lashed across the country on Sunday.
The Irrigation Department said that due to heavy rains since the early hours of Sunday, water levels in the main Kelani River on the outskirts of Colombo and the Gin River in the south of Sri Lanka had reached spill levels.
The DMC said it had advised families living in low-lying areas to evacuate to higher grounds.
The Department of Meteorology said in its latest weather alert on Sunday that over 150 mm of rains were expected in the western and southern provinces and the public was warned to stay indoors.
The DMC said tri-forces were also requested to be on alert in case search and rescue operations were required in the flooded areas.
The Ministry of Education said all state-run schools across the country will be closed on Monday due to more rains expected. ■
A woman wades through a flooded road in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, on June 2, 2024. Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) issued a major flood alert in the outskirts of capital Colombo and several other areas of the island as heavy rains lashed across the country on Sunday. (Photo by Gayan Sameera/Xinhua)
People wade through a flooded road in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, on June 2, 2024. Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) issued a major flood alert in the outskirts of capital Colombo and several other areas of the island as heavy rains lashed across the country on Sunday. (Photo by Gayan Sameera/Xinhua)
A flooded road is pictured in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, on June 2, 2024. Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) issued a major flood alert in the outskirts of capital Colombo and several other areas of the island as heavy rains lashed across the country on Sunday. (Photo by Gayan Sameera/Xinhua)
