Nov 19, Colombo: The Department of Irrigation has issued a flood warning for several low-lying areas as the Deduru Oya Reservoir has reached spill level.

The warning said considerable rainfall has occurred in some of the Upstream / Middle Reach / Downstream catchment areas of Deduru Oya Basin as of 4.30 AM today.

In addition, the Deduru Oya reservoir which is maintained by the Irrigation Department is spilling with a discharge rate of 22,400 cubic feet /sec currently.

Accordingly, residents in the low lying areas of Wariyapola, Nikaveratiya, Mahawa, Kobeigane, Bingiriya, Chilaw, Rasnayakapura, Arachchikattuwa and Pallama Divisional Secretariat Divisions are warned of minor floods.

Therefore, the residents in the aforementioned areas and motorists traveling through those areas are requested to pay high attention in this regard. Disaster Management Authorities are also requested to take adequate precautions in this regard.

There is also a possibility of increasing the spill discharge of the Deduru Oya Reservoir, the department said.

By analyzing this situation and river water levels of Hydrological Stations in Deduru Oya, there is a possibility of a minor flood situation occurring in low-lying areas of Deduru Oya valley situated in Wariyapola, Nikaweratiya, Mahawa, Kobeigane, Bingiriya, Pallama, Chilaw, Arachchikattuwa and Rasnayakapura D/S divisions, it said.

Residents in those areas and motorists traveling through those areas are requested to pay high attention in this regard while Disaster Management Authorities are requested to take adequate precautions in this regard.