APCEDI ALERT Sri Lanka-BOBW Tropical Depression #5, 2006: Tropical Depression Weakens over Tamil Nadu after causing Widespread Flooding in Sri Lanka

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the India Department of Meteorology continue to issue guidance on the former tropical depression that has now weakened to a low pressure system over Tamil Nadu. The system is causing isolated heavy rains in southern India, but the situation in Sri Lanka is improving as the system moves away.

The depression brought widespread flooding, some locally moderate to severe, to Sri Lanka with worst hit areas in the north around Kilinochchi and in the west around Colombo. Sri Lanka news media are reporting 6 dead in the capital region and 40,000-50,000 people displaced or otherwise severely affected across the nation. 4,000 tsunami refugees were evacuated from Mullaittivu and Vadamarachi East Districts near Kilinochchi, with an additional 20,000 families affected in the area. News stories, continual updates and additional details can be found at the The Sri Lankan Academic News Service

The remaining areas of convection of this weakening system lie scattered over the southern tip of India, and this convection will continue to bring intermittent heavy rains to Kerala and Tamil Nadu States. The India Meteorological Department has continues a Heavy Rain Advisory over Tamil Nadu and the Pondicherry Enclaves as well as Kerala and Lakshadweep.

Even though the system is weakening, interests in Southern India should continue to monitor the progress of this tropical system for any restrengthening or localised flooding threats. Aid workers (including all AFAP, NSRC, RRI and other affiliated aid workers) in flood affected areas of Sri Lanka, should continue to carefully monitor the weather as localised heavy rain is still possible in isolated areas, and this could result in additional localised flooding.

FROM JOINT TYPHOON WARNING CENTER
http://www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc.html

1. NORTH INDIAN OCEAN AREA (MALAY PENINSULA WEST TO COAST OF
AFRICA):
A. TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY: NONE.
B. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE SUMMARY:
(1) THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 8.3N 78.6E, APPROXIMATELY 115 NM NORTHWEST OF COLOMBO, SRI LANKA HAS MOVED OVER LAND AND IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED SUSPECT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24HOURS.


SRI LANKA DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY
http://www.meteo.slt.lk/wxfc.html

Guidance on the system has been discontinued.


INDIAN DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY
http://www.imd.gov.in/

Yesterday’s depression over southwest Bay of Bengal with its center near lat 9.5º N /long. 79.5º E close to Pamban weakened into a well marked low pressure area over the same region at 1730 hours IST yesterday. It has further weakened into a low pressure area and now lies over south Tamil Nadu and neighbourhood. The system is likely to move in a westerly direction. Under its influence fairly widespread rains with isolated heavy falls are likely over Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Kerala and Lakshadweep during next 48 hours.

APCEDI will continue to monitor the progress of this tropical system. While APCEDI does not normally monitor cyclones in the Bay of Bengal, given AFAP's tsunami relief effort and that of many agencies in the region, APCEDI will continue to bring reports from this region, as warranted, for the next year or longer if needed.

Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator
http://www.afap.org/apcedi/

To donate to AFAP's Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Rehabilitation Programs in Asia and the Pacific, go to http://www.afap.org and click on the "Donate On-Line" icon in the top righthand corner.