January 21, Colombo (LNW): The recent breach of the Gal Oya banks in the Nena Kaadu area, Ampara, has resulted in severe flooding, submerging large expanses of agricultural land, including valuable paddy fields.
The inundation has affected around 1,000 acres of land in the Dighavapiya colony, Nena Kaadu, and Samanthurai areas.
The breach, which occurred due to continuous adverse weather conditions, has submerged fields that were either recently harvested or nearing harvest.
The damage to the crops is considerable, with farmers in these regions now facing significant losses.
The situation has been exacerbated by the opening of the sluice gates of the Senanayake Samudraya reservoir in Inginiyagala.
The opening of the gates followed continuous heavy rainfall in the Ampara district, which saw the water level rise to 108 feet 03 inches in the catchment area.
As a result, five spill gates of the reservoir have been opened by 15 inches each, releasing approximately 1,177 cubic feet of water per second into the already saturated surrounding areas.
This incident marks the second breach of the Gal Oya banks in recent months. In January 2024, flooding caused similar damage, and despite renovations to the banks, the same area experienced a breach again in November 2024.
These recurring incidents have raised concerns about the long-term stability and effectiveness of flood control measures in the region.
The ongoing floods are not only threatening the livelihoods of local farmers but also posing a challenge to the broader agricultural productivity of the region.
Local authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely, but the damage to paddy crops and the infrastructure needed for flood prevention will require significant recovery efforts.
