• Over 31,000 people affected by adverse weather conditions

The Department of Meteorology has warned of increased rainfall and strong winds across several parts of the country as the Southwest Monsoon gradually establishes over the island, with 31,072 individuals belonging to 7,983 families already affected by adverse weather conditions.

In the weather forecast issued for today (25), the Department of Meteorology stated that showers or thundershowers would occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-Western provinces and in the Galle, Matara, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya districts.

Fairly heavy rainfall of about 75 milimetres (mm) is expected at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts.

A few showers are also expected in the Anuradhapura and Mannar districts, while showers or thundershowers could occur in parts of the Uva Province and in the Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds of 30 to 40 kmph are expected at times over the western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-Central, North-Western, and Southern provinces, as well as in the Trincomalee District.