The section of railway between Kandy and Peradeniya affected by ground subsidence has been repaired and services restored, the Railway Department announced.

The Podi Menike train from Colombo Fort to Badulla was operated at 5.55 a.m. today (June 12) to assess safety, successfully passing the repaired section around 9 a.m. and reaching Kandy without issue.

However, the authorities stated that trains will continue to run at reduced speeds in the affected area.

This subsidence was attributed to recent heavy rainfall in Kandy.

The Department of Meteorology says that showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and North-western provinces.

Heavy rains above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts.

Several spells of showers may occur in the Northern Province and in Anuradhapura district.

Strong winds of about 50-60 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

As part of the official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, President Anura Kumara Disanayake met with German Foreign Minister Dr. Johann Wadephul yesterday evening (June 11) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin.

The discussion focused on identifying new avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, the digital economy, investment and vocational training, in line with the priorities of the Sri Lankan government.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany, Ms. Varuni Muthukumarana, Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Arjuna Herath, Director General for Europe and North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Trade Sugeeshwara Gunaratna and other officials. 

(President’s Media Division)