Windy and showery condition in southwest to continue

Windy and showery condition in southwestern part of the island is expected to continue today.There is a possibility for sudden increase of wind speed up to 60 kmph over the island particularly in Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, North-Central, North-western, Northern and Central provinces and in Trincomalee district.Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and North-western provinces. Heavy falls above 100 mm are likely at some places in Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kaluthara districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur at few places in Mullaitivu, Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00pm.There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

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Speaker tells media to report with responsibility

Parliament opened proceedings of the Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) and Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to media yesterday.This is with the view to strengthening parliamentary democracy in the country.A ceremonial event was held in Parliament yesterday afternoon under the patronage of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to mark the official commencement of the first COPE proceeding accessible to media.

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Ampara paddy farmers receive bumper harvest

Paddy cultivation of the Yala season is harvested now in Ampara and traders and mill owners from Jaffna, Polannaruwa and Batticaloa are arriving in Amapara to buy paddy.Farmers said they received a better harvest this time compared to the harvest of the previous season. They said they yield about 150 bushels per acre.

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Severe wind gusts, heavy rain alert

The Meteorology Department yesterday issued a notice urging people to be cautions of adverse strong windy weather conditions in the entire south-western region of the island.There is a possibility for sudden increases of wind speed up to 70-80 km/h over the island particularly in the Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, North-Central, North-Western, Northern and Central Provinces and, in Trincomalee district, the Met. Department communique said.

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Petrol, Super Diesel slightly up

Following the monthly meeting of the committee on fuel prices, the Ministry of Finance yesterday announced that both petrols and super diesel fuel prices have been revised with effect from midnight yesterday, based on the pricing formula. However the government has not revised the price of auto diesel.The price of Octane 92 petrol is increased by Rs. 2 to Rs. 138 per litre and of Octane 95 petrol is increased by Rs. 4 to Rs. 163 per litre. The price of a litre of Super Diesel has been increased by Rs. 3 to Rs. 134 per litre.

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Landslide warning for Kegalle and Ratnapura districts

The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has also issued a landslide early warning for several areas in the Kegalle and Ratnapura districts.The NBRO had previously issued a landslide early warning for certain areas in the Nuwara Eliya District, due to the prevailing adverse weather condtions. Since the rainfall within the past 24 hours exceeded 75mm, if the rain continues, residents are advised to be watchful on the possibility of landslides, slope failures, rock falls, cutting failures and ground subsidence in the following divisional secretariat divisions: Ratnapura District: Kuruvita, Ehaliyagoda, Elapatha and Kiriella divisional secretariat divisions and surrounding areas.Kegalle District: Bulathkohupitiya, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota divisional secretariat divisions and surrounding areas.Nuwara Eliya District: Ambagamuwa, Kotmale and Nuwara Eliya divisional secretariat divisions and surrounding areas.Ratnapura divisional secretariat area and Dehiowita area in Kegalle District are at alert le

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