Flood warning issued for several low-lying areas of Mahaweli River Basin

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The Irrigation Department has issued a flood warning valid for the next 48 hours for several low-lying areas along the Mahaweli River Basin due to rainfall received since last night (17) in certain catchment areas.

Accordingly, residents of low-lying areas in Kinniya, Muttur, Kantale, Seruvila, Welikanda, Lankapura, Thamankaduwa, and Dimbulagala Divisional Secretariat (DS) Divisions have been warned of possible flooding.

Furthermore, there is a risk of inundation of the Batticaloa Polonnaruwa Road (Gallella area), the access road to Somawathiya Raja Maha Vihara, and the surrounding areas of the Somawathiya Raja Maha Vihara, the department said.

Therefore, devotees travelling to the Somawathiya Raja Maha Vihara are kindly requested to avoid travel to the area until further notice over the next few days.

In addition, the general public residing in close proximity to the Mahaweli River in the above-mentioned areas are requested to remain highly vigilant and to take necessary measures to protect themselves from possible flood conditions.

Therefore, disaster management authorities are also requested to take adequate precautions in this regard.

Posted in Uncategorized

Jaffna Airport expansion project: Foundation laid for new terminal

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The foundation stone for a new passenger terminal building at Jaffna International Airport was laid on Monday (15) afternoon, marking a key milestone in the Rs 700 million airport expansion project.

The ceremony, held at the airport premises, included multi-religious observances and was attended by Jaffna International Airport Manager Saman Amarasinghe, Deputy Airport Manager Sanjeewa Amarapathi, and senior officials of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd, including its Deputy Chairman and engineering staff.

Construction work for Phase II of the expansion is scheduled to begin in January 2026. The project is being funded by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said the two-phase expansion project, with an estimated total investment of around Rs 700 million, is aimed at enhancing passenger handling capacity and upgrading facilities at Jaffna International Airport.

Another aid shipment from India arrives

Posted on | by TELO Admin

Another shipment of dry rations has been brought from India to provide relief to people affected by the cyclone “Ditwah”.

The supplies were brought to Sri Lanka by a C-17 aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force, the President’s Media Division stated.

The relief consignment includes 15 tons of dry rations and 10 tons of medicines.

Additionally, a shipment of 50 tons of dry rations was brought to the country yesterday (15) aboard the Indian Coast Guard vessel “Shaurya”. The supplies were officially handed over at the port to Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation, Janith Ruwan Kodithuwakku, by Indian Deputy High Commissioner Dr. Satyanjal Pandey.

Meanwhile, under the “Sagar Bandhu” operation, the Indian medical team that arrived in Sri Lanka completed its humanitarian mission and returned to India.

Rights groups claim NPP Govt overlooks Tamil language

Posted on | by TELO Admin

A Sri Lankan rights group has called on the government to provide official disaster announcements and statements in all three national languages, citing shortcomings during Cyclone Ditwah and the resulting floods.

Thanne Gnanananda thero, a member of the National Committee of the Equal Rights Movement, said the public was informed only in Sinhala and English during the disaster.

He added that successive governments have historically failed to issue official communications in Tamil during government activities.

The remarks followed the submission of a letter by the rights group to the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (15), urging that official disaster notifications and statements be issued in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.

The group said providing information in all national languages is crucial for ensuring that minority communities receive timely and accurate warnings during emergencies.

Posted in Uncategorized

Sri Lanka’s Economy Accelerates: 5.4% Growth in Q3 2025

Posted on | by TELO Admin

Sri Lanka’s economy recorded a robust 5.4% growth rate in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest National Accounts Estimates released by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant 2015 prices surged to Rs. 3,325.6 billion, up from Rs. 3,154.1 billion in the same quarter last year, signaling resilience despite global uncertainties.

At current prices, GDP climbed to Rs. 8,400 billion, marking a 12.6% increase from Q3 2024.

The growth was driven by Agriculture (3.6%), Industry (8.1%), and Services (3.5%), with taxes less subsidies on products rising by 13.9%.

Key Drivers of Growth:

Industry led the charge with an 8.1% expansion, powered by construction (12.2%), mining and quarrying (17.5%), and manufacturing activities such as petroleum products (83.1%) and basic metals (22.2%).

Agriculture grew 3.6%, supported by strong performance in plant propagation (46.6%), coconut cultivation (27.1%), and sugar cane and non-perennial crops (11.2%).

Posted in Uncategorized

Warrant issued for Ampitiye Sumana Thera; Police claim monk is ‘missing’

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court issued a warrant yesterday (15) for the arrest of Ampitiye Sumana Thera after he failed to appear for the case filed against him under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act for allegedly inciting racial hatred.

When the case was taken up yesterday, the Court noted that the Batticaloa Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) had been summoned to explain the failure to arrest Sumana Thera. However, a Batticaloa Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) appeared on behalf of the SSP and informed the Magistrate that the Thera is currently missing.

Due to the nature of the charges under the ICCPR Act, the case is scheduled to be taken up at the Batticaloa High Court tomorrow (17).

During the previous hearing on 8 December (Case No. 1152), the complainant, Attorney-at-Law Dhanuka Rananjaka Kahandagamage, officially recorded his statement before the Magistrate. At that time, Police informed the court that the accused Ampitiye Sumana Thera was not present and was reportedly hiding in a village. This led the Magistrate to issue the order summoning the Batticaloa SSP to appear yesterday (15).

The case stems from a complaint lodged by Kahandagamage on 23 October 2023. The Attorney General (AG) had previously instructed the Police to arrest Ampitiye Sumana Thera in connection with the incident.

According to Kahandagamage, the AG issued this directive after a controversial video clip—purportedly showing the Thera—was examined by the Government Analyst.

The complaint cites a statement made by Sumana Thera in Batticaloa, where he allegedly made aggressive remarks against the Tamil community in the presence of police officers, threatening that “every Tamil person living in the South will be cut and killed”.

Japan to give $2.5 million in emergency aid to Sri Lanka

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The Japanese government decided to extend an emergency grant of $2.5 million to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tuesday.

The emergency grant will be used to provide humanitarian assistance through international aid agencies, including food and other daily necessities.

Landslides and floods caused by a cyclone that hit the island nation in late November have killed more than 600 people.

Motegi told a press conference that Japan intends to continue providing “seamless support to our long-time friend, Sri Lanka, to ensure the earliest possible recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas.”

The minister also said a disaster relief medical team returned from Sri Lanka earlier Tuesday after handling 1,250 treatments in about two weeks.

Source: KYODO NEWS

Posted in Uncategorized

Indian army relief team re-connects Sri Lanka optical fibre link severed by cyclone

Posted on | by TELO Admin

Indian Army signallers re-connected a broken optical fibre cable in Sri Lanka’s Mahiyangana area as part of relief operations in the island after Cyclone Ditwah, the Indian High Commission said.

The Indian relief team also operated a field hospital in Mahiyangana, which is between Kandy and Baddula towns. Badulla and Kandy districts were among the hardest hit by Cyclone Ditwah.

The fibre cable had been damaged by a falling tree in the wake of the cyclone, causing a large communication black-out in the area.

“To re-establish the connectivity, Indian Army signallers carried out precise OFC splicing near the BTS tower located close to the Field Hospital,” the High Commission said.

Cyclone Ditwah broke fibre backbone in a dozen places put several thousand base transceiver towers out of commission due to power failure.

The Indian field hospital had treated around 1,000 to 1,200 patients daily.

The medical team performed 513 minor procedures, conducted 14 major surgeries as part of treating patients.

The team returned to India in an Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft on December 14.

The aircraft also brought to Sri Lanka, 10 tonnes of essential medicines and 15 tonnes of dry rations, at the request of the Government of Sri Lanka.

India delivers 17 types of essential medicines requested by Sri Lanka

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The Government of India on Sunday donated a consignment of 17 types of essential medicines along with more than 14,200 kilograms of dry food items to Sri Lanka, following a request made by Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa.

The donation was formally handed over at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, by Indian Deputy High Commissioner Dr. Satyanjal Pandey to Minister Jayatissa.

The medical supplies were transported to Sri Lanka aboard a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The donation followed a recent meeting held at the Ministry of Health and Mass Media between Minister Jayatissa and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, during which the Sri Lankan minister requested urgent assistance.

According to officials, the donated medicines include 17 essential drug categories primarily used in the treatment of heart diseases, diabetes and related complications, as well as for the management of several other medical conditions. The supplies are expected to support both disaster-affected communities and the state hospital system.

Speaking at the handover, Minister Jayatissa said the donation would significantly strengthen the country’s ability to provide effective medical care to those affected by recent disasters, while also easing pressure on government hospitals.

He noted that India has consistently supported Sri Lanka during times of crisis, describing the neighbouring country as a long-standing and reliable partner that has extended assistance whenever Sri Lanka has faced disasters.

Indian Deputy High Commissioner Dr. Pandey said India would continue to support Sri Lanka’s relief and recovery efforts, reaffirming the Indian government’s commitment to assisting the Sri Lankan people during times of need.

’Ditwah’ leaves 2.2 million people affected across Sri Lanka

Posted on | by TELO Admin

The total number of people affected by Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 2.2 million, with 1.7 million people severely impacted, according to the latest figures released by the Disaster Management Centre.

Director General of the Centre, Sampath Kotuwegoda, said that approximately 495,000 families have been affected by the cyclone and its aftermath.

He further revealed that 629 bodies have been recovered so far, while 211 people remain missing, based on reports received from District Coordination Offices. Search and recovery operations are continuing in landslide-affected and other disaster-hit areas.

Major General Kotuwegoda noted that while some residents have refused to leave affected locations, the Government has no plans to forcibly evacuate them. He added that a number of displaced persons are currently staying with relatives, rather than in formal relief centres.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation as relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts remain underway across affected districts.