Heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions sweeping across Sri Lanka have left one person dead, one injured, affected over 10,000 residents, disrupted transport and power infrastructure nationwide, according to the official Situation Summary Report released by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 6PM on October 26, 2026.
A total of 10,545 individuals from 2,736 families across 12 districts and 57 Divisional Secretariat divisions have been impacted by the severe weather. One person died due to drowning in Madampe, Puttalam district, while one individual was injured in Ingiriya, Kalutara district, after a tree fell onto a home. To assist affected residents, emergency authorities have established four safety centers across Colombo, Ratnapura and Mannar accommodating 182 people from 67 families, while 60 individuals are staying with relatives as two homes were fully destroyed and 215 suffered partial damage.
The heavy downpours have caused significant disruptions to the island’s transport services. Sri Lanka Railways has suspended train operations on the Main Line between Gampola and Nanu Oya, running services only between Nanu Oya and Badulla. Train services between Peradeniya and Matale have also been completely halted. Additionally, key road stretches in Kalutara, including the Bulathsinhala–Molkawa road and the Galathara–Pareigama road, have been inundated under up to 2.5 feet of water, blocking traffic.
The deluge follows rainfall exceeding 180 mm in regions such as Samanala Wewa (185.4 mm), Gavaragiriya (170.4 mm), and Pahiyangala (170.2 mm) over the past 24 hours. Rising water levels have forced engineers to open spill gates at major reservoirs including Rajanganaya (18 gates), Deduru Oya (8 gates), Tabowa (4 gates), Angamuwa (2 gates), Kala Wewa (2 gates), and Kukule Ganga (2 gates discharging 148m3/s). Major hydro dams including Norton, Canyon, Laxapana, and Polpitiya are also actively spilling. According to the Department of Meteorology, Deep Depression ‘Onab’ over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, continuing to draw strong cross-island wind currents and localized heavy rains above 75 mm across multiple provinces.
In response, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has placed several high-risk divisions across Ratnapura, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, and Kurunegala under Level 2 Amber and Level 3 Red landslide evacuation warnings. Meanwhile, tri-forces personnel, Sri Lanka Police, Coast Guard, and Civil Security Department units equipped with rescue boats and search teams have been deployed islandwide, with Air Force helicopters stationed across key airbases on standby for emergency airlifts. (Newswire)