By Dinasena Rathugamage

Heavy rains have displaced about 10,000 families across the districts of Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, and Vavuniya by yesterday (25) morning.

The military, disaster management officials, police, Grama Niladharis, and Divisional Secretariat officials have taken steps to evacuate affected families to safe locations.

The relentless downpour has posed significant challenges to food preparation efforts.

The Peraru tank in Vavuniya has reached spill level, leading to the opening of its two main sluice gates and the water released from the reservoir has inundated low-lying areas, submerging numerous houses and causing widespread flooding.

In Mullaitivu, the Wattuwakal Bridge has been damaged and submerged, making the road to Mullaitivu impassable and severely disrupting vehicular movement.

Meanwhile, spillover water from reservoirs in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi has flooded major roads, severing connections between villages and towns. This has left residents in these areas without access to essential goods and services.

The heavy rains have also caused significant losses of livestock, including cattle, goats, and poultry, which have been swept away by floodwaters.

Amidst these conditions, the GCE Advanced Level Examination has commenced, necessitating special arrangements by military and police personnel in the Northern Province to ensure students reach their examination centres on time.