Oct 29, Colombo: Bracing for a marginal cyclone that threatens to hit the country's northern and eastern areas, Sri Lanka has begun evacuating people residing within 500 meters from the north east coastal belt.

The Meteorological Department of Sri Lanka predicted a marginal cyclonic situation in the Northern areas as the depression over southwest Bay of Bengal is about 100 km east of Mullaitivu and moving northwest with wind speeds of up to 80 kilometers an hour. It is expected to enter the island near Mullativu coast around 2:00 am Tuesday.

Director of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Sarath Lal Kumara has said that people living within 500 meters the northeastern coastal belt from Kuchchaweli to Jaffna have been ordered to evacuate to inland.

"The area is thinly populated. We are issuing the evacuation notice as precaution to ensure there are no casualties," Kumara has told AFP.

The police, military and respective government officials in these areas are assisting the people to evacuate, the official said.

The Met Department said shallow and deep sea areas off the coast extending from Mannar to Batticaloa via Jaffna and Trincomalee will experience very rough conditions, strong winds and intermittent rain.

"Fishing and naval communities are requested to be vigilant about the strong winds, showery weather and rough seas in the sea areas off the coast from Mannar to Batticaloa via Jaffna and Trincomalee," the Department advised.