EXTREME WEATHER: Two spill gates of Kukulegama Reservoir opened
COLOMBO (News 1st): Two spill gates of the Kukulegama Reservoir have been opened as a result of the heavy showers experienced in many parts of the island. A capacity of 60 cubic metres of water is being released per second through the reservoir at present, Eng. Residents in the low-lying areas of the Kalu river including those residing in the Divisional Secretariats of Mathugama, Bulathsinhala, Palinda Nuwara, Milleniya, and Baduraliya MUST remain vigilant regarding rising water levels, Eng. There is a risk of minor flood levels in the areas located above the Kalu river basin, the Department of Irrigation said on Tuesday morning (May 25). Very heavy falls exceeding 150 mm could be expected at some places in the Sabaragamuwa province and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts, while heavy falls exceeding 100 mm could be expected in the Western, North-Western, and Southern provinces, the weather forecast for Tuesday (May 25) noted.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 07:02 UTC
Housing committee's chair attacks Government for failing to protect leaseholders
Controversially, some leaseholders are still legally liable for the cost of fixing unsafe cladding and other fire safety defects. But the cash is only for those living in buildings above 60ft with unsafe cladding. We asked Mr Betts about how long he thought it was going to take to resolve the cladding crisis as leaseholders continue to live in unsafe homes. What measures do you want to see in the Building Safety Fund to protect leaseholders from repairs bills? As a rich and civilised country, in 2021, we should not be seeing people live in unsafe homes,' he concluded.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 06:56 UTC
Majority of Queensland left without electricity amid enormous power outage
Residents from South East Queensland to the Central and Far North regions found themselves without power from about 2pm on Tuesday. An explosion and subsequent fire at the Callide power station near Biloela in Central Queensland is believed to be the root cause of the statewide outages. Energex also revealed at least 375,000 homes from the Gold Coast to Caboolture on the Sunshine Coast are without power. 'At approximately 1:45pm today, a fire occurred in one of the turbine halls at the power station,' the statement read. 'We immediately evacuated the power station and called emergency services to attend site.'
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 06:00 UTC
X-PRESS PEARL: 02 Indian crew members admitted to Hospital
COLOMBO (News 1st): Two Indian crew members of the distressed MV “X-PRESS PEARL” have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. An explosion was reported from inside the MV X-PRESS PEARL on Tuesday morning (May 25), and all 25 crew members were evacuated safely out of the vessel, Captain Indika de Silva, the Navy Spokesperson told News 1st. The distressed container ship was manned by a crew of 25, who are Philippine, Chinese, Indian, and Russian nationals. Moreover, Sri Lankan authorities have decided to further move the MV “X-PRESS PEARL” 50 nautical miles away from the Colombo Harbour into deep seas in order to prevent marine environment destruction. In the meantime, several freight containers onboard the distressed MV “X-PRESS PEARL” have fallen to the Sri Lankan waters, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 06:00 UTC
Supermarket Liquor stores MUST remain closed: NOCPCO
COLOMBO (News 1st): All liquor outlets at supermarkets MUST remain closed until the 07th of June, the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said. All liquor outlets must remain CLOSED when the travel restriction is relaxed and the sale of liquor is NOT permitted during this period. The same regulation is also applicable to all supermarkets, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, the Head of the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak told News 1st. The following hotlines have been introduced by the Excise Department to inform about any crimes pertaining to narcotics, tobacco, and excise offences:071 702 6158 / 071 634 5291 / 071 310 8507 / 075 232 7483 / 071 812 2333
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 06:00 UTC
Woman reveals she grew boobs in her armpits after pregnancy
'I hope that maybe one day she would be able to wear her dress that she's always wanted to wear. 'You're stuck with them,' she said doctors had told her, before asking Dr. Dubrow and Dr. Nassif: 'Can this be fixed, or will I always have breasts in my armpits?' 'When you dissect an area, there are things you can see and things you can't see, like lymph nodes,' Dr. Dubrow explained, describing the hidden dangers as 'tiger country. 'The fact that Samantha's thyroid workup is negative means the problem in her armpits is an isolated problem,' Dr. Dubrow confirmed. I'm so thankful for Dr Dubrow.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 06:00 UTC
Thirty three Covid deaths yesterday
May 25, 2021 by Mihi Perera No CommentsAnother 33 Covid deaths have been reported yesterday. Eleven of them had died at home. The deaths were reported from residents of Bandaragama, Colombo, Nawalapitiya, Galle, Ginimellagaha, Gintota and Radhawana areas. Accordingly, the total number of deaths due to Covid infection in the country has increased to 1,243, according to the Government Information Department.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 05:05 UTC
Travel Restriction: NO public transportation services today (25)
COLOMBO (News 1st): The public transport services will NOT operate today (May 25), despite the travel restriction being relaxed. “NONE of the public transport services will operate today (May 25). Therefore, we were instructed NOT to operate public transport services,” Dilum Amunugama, the State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments, and Motor Car Industry told News 1st on Tuesday (May 25). The island-wide travel restriction was relaxed at 4:00 AM today (May 25); the travel restriction will be re-imposed at 11:00 PM tonight (May 25) across the island. However, public transport services allocated for the essential services will operate today.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 04:52 UTC
EXTREME WEATHER: Landslide Early Warnings remain in effect
COLOMBO (News 1st): The Landslide Early Warning issued for several Divisional Secretariats in six (06) districts continues to remain in effect, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) said. “Based on the rainfall received in the coming hours, the Landslide Warning will be updated accordingly,” Senior Geologist Wasantha Senadheera of the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) told News 1st on Tuesday (May 25). The Landslide Early Warning has been issued as follows:In the Kegalle District:Dehiowita, Yatiyantota, Deraniyagala, Warakapola, Aranayake, Ruwanwella, Weligamuwa and Bulathkohupitiya Divisional SecretariatsIn the Ratnapura District:Eheliyagoda, Elapatha, Ratnapura, Kalawana, Kuruvita, Ayagama, Weligepola, Opanayake, Kiriella, Dulpe, Pelmadulla, Balangoda, Nivitigala, and Kahawatte Divisional SecretariatsIn the Kalutara District:Ingiriya, Palinda Nuwara, Agalawatte, Walallavita, Mathugama, Dodangoda and Bulathsinhala Divisional SecretariatsIn the Nuwara Eliya District:Ambagamuwa Divisional SecretariatIn the Kandy District:Udunuwara Divisional SecretariatIn the Galle District:Neluwa Divisional SecretariatVery heavy falls exceeding 150 mm could be expected at some places in the Sabaragamuwa province and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts, while heavy falls exceeding 100 mm could be expected in the Western, North-Western, and Southern provinces, the weather forecast for Tuesday (May 25) noted.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 03:56 UTC
Highest number of arrests over quarantine law violations made yesterday
According to the DIG, this is the highest number of quarantine law flouters arrested within a period of 24 hours. This many people have not been arrested even on a day when travel restrictions were not in effect, the police spokesman noted. The quarantine law gazette notification was published on the 15th of October 2020, however, the police have been enforcing the law regarding the quarantine gazette since the 30th of October 2020. The government temporarily relaxed the countrywide travel restrictions, imposed in a bid to arrest the spread of COVID-19, at 4.00 am today (May 25). On Monday, the government announced that island-wide travel restrictions will be extended until the 07th of June.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 03:56 UTC
Explosion aboard MV X-PRESS PEARL; crew evacuated
COLOMBO (News 1st): An explosion was reported from inside the MV X-PRESS PEARL on Tuesday morning (May 25), Sri Lanka Navy said. All 25 crew members were evacuated safely out of the vessel, Captain Indika de Silva, the Navy Spokesperson told News 1st. The distressed container ship was manned by a crew of 25, who are Philippine, Chinese, Indian, and Russian nationals, Sri Lanka Navy said. According to Sri Lanka Navy, the container ship ‘X-PRESS PEARL’ is in anchorage about 9.5 nautical miles northwest of the Colombo Port. The vessel which is registered under the flag of Singapore had carried 1486 containers with 25 tonnes of Nitric Acid, several other chemicals, and cosmetics; it had departed from the port of Hazira on India on 15th May 2021.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 03:56 UTC
Sri Lanka to receive 500,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses today
May 25, 2021 08:32 amSri Lanka will receive another stock of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine this evening (May 25), says State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana. Thereby, 500,000 doses of the China-manufactured vaccine will arrive as a donation from the People’s Republic of China. Meanwhile, State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) has made a commercial purchase of 14 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. The Embassy of China in Colombo confirmed that 03 million out of the purchase will arrive in Sri Lanka in early June.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 03:45 UTC
EXTREME WEATHER: “YAAS” to intensify into severe cyclone
COLOMBO (News 1st): The cyclonic storm “YAAS” located in East-central Bay of Bengal is expected to be intensified into a severe cyclonic storm during the next few hours, the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at the Department of Meteorology said on Monday (May 24). “Under the influence of this system, winds over the island and rainy condition in South-Western part, (that is the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Southern provinces) is expected to enhance from Tuesday (May 25) to Thursday (May 27),” the Advisory for Heavy Rain and Strong Winds noted. Accordingly, the rain forecast for the next 03 days is as follows:
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 03:00 UTC
PHI Union on strike due to GMOA vaccination prioritization
COLOMBO (News 1st): The Public Health Inspectors’ Union of Sri Lanka (PHI) and 10 other Trade Unions will refrain from services today (May 25) in the Western Province, citing issues of the COVID-19 vaccination drive. “None of the duties that should be performed concerning the prevention of COVID-19 will NOT be carried out today (May 25),” Mahendra Balasuriya, the Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors’ Union of Sri Lanka told News 1st. According to the PHI Union, family members related to members of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) were administered the COVID-19 vaccine deviating from the due process. While emphasizing that the PHI Union had NO problem with providing the vaccine to them in this manner, Balauriya noted that others in the healthcare system also require the jab. We are conducting this trade union action in objection to this act, and to ensure the rights of the people against an act of such inequality,” Mahendra Balasuriya, the Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors’ Union of Sri Lanka emphasized.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 02:03 UTC
Sasha Johnson 'WAS target of shooting', her political party claims
And one of those shots obviously hit Sasha Johnson. Police investigating the shooting of Sasha Johnson have recovered a mountain bike. 'As a member of Parliament I stand in full solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and I stand with her work in the Black Lives Matter movement.' Ms Johnson also spoke in favour of 'defunding the police' - although the TTIP manifesto specifically excludes this. Ms Johnson has campaigned for statues to be removed and is part of the secretive group Forever Family Force.
Source:The Nation
May 25, 2021 01:04 UTC