June 06, Colombo (LNW): Geologist Professor Athula Senaratne addressed the media in Kandy yesterday (06), shedding light on the challenges posed by inadequate equipment in accurately forecasting recent adverse weather conditions.
The absence of requisite instruments hindered the provision of timely warnings regarding the deluge of 400mm rains witnessed in certain regions across the nation in recent days, according to Senaratne.
In his statement, Prof. Senaratne emphasised the crucial role of appropriate equipment in enhancing the precision of weather forecasting.
He underscored that with the necessary technological resources at hand, meteorological authorities could have issued advance alerts to mitigate the impact of the intense rainfall experienced in various parts of the country.
Furthermore, Professor Senaratne highlighted a systemic gap in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure, particularly in the domain of rainfall measurement equipment.
He lamented the inadequacy of facilities for accurately gauging precipitation, indicating a pressing need for investment and modernisation in this sector to bolster the nation’s resilience against extreme weather events.
