Courtesy Hiru News

Torrential rains lashed the southern coastal belt yesterday evening (20), leaving several major roads in Galle and Weligama underwater and causing significant disruption to commuters.

In Galle, the flooding was particularly severe on several critical routes, including the Galle – Matara main road, the Galle – Baddegama main road, Galle Main Street and several internal roads within the historic Galle Fort.

Local residents have expressed frustration, pointing out that the flooding isn’t just a “natural” disaster.

They cite the authorities’ failure to clean the city’s drainage systems and the proliferation of unauthorised constructions over canals as the primary reasons why even moderate rainfall now leads to inundated streets.

The situation was mirrored in Weligama, where persistent heavy downpours have similarly left multiple town roads submerged.

As the Northeast Monsoon continues to settle in, these coastal towns remain vulnerable to further flash flooding if the infrastructure isn’t addressed—and quickly.