© Sri Lanka Red CrossFloods in northern Sri Lanka, November 2015.
According to Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC), one death has been reported in Kilinochchi district, Northern Province, as a result of the floods.
DMC also report that 19,916 people (6,310 families) have been affected by flooding in the districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Trincomalee, Puttalam and Gampaha. As many 2,600 have been forced from their homes by the flooding. Relief camps have been set up in Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Puttalam to house those displaced.
The Sri Lanka government say that the spill gates of 22 of the main reservoirs in the country have been opened, including in Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Hambantota and Kurunegala.
The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) have also been providing relief support to affected families. SLRCS say that, as well as Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullativu, Trincomalee, Puttalam and Mannar, the district of Matale has also been affected by floods.
Sri Lanka's Department of Meteorology has forecast more rain over the coming days, warning that very heavy falls (about 150mm) can be expected in some places over the next 24 hours.
The recent heavy rainfall in northern parts of Sri Lanka has been brought by an area of depression situated over the Bay of Bengal that is also affecting parts of southern India, in particular the state of Tamil Nadu, where dozens are reported to have died in floods over the last week.
© Sri Lanka Red CrossFloods in northern Sri Lanka, November 2015.
WMO figures for rainfall in Sri Lanka over a 24 hour period:
14 to 15 November 2015
Kandy - 52.9 mm
Kurunegala - 62.4 mm
Batticaloa - 52.1 mm
Hambantota - 51.6 mm
Trincomalee 76.8 mm
15 to 16 November 2015
Katunayake - 62.8 mm
Ratmalana - 58.5 mm
Colombo - 67 mm
Jaffna - 126.1 mm
Mannar - 235.8 mm
Puttalam - 88.8 mm
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