Severe flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah has polluted 143 kilometres of Sri Lanka’s coastline, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said.
MEPA Chairman Samantha Gunasekara said heavy rains and widespread flooding carried debris, waste, and personal belongings from inland areas into rivers, which then deposited the material along coastal belts.
The most affected regions include Colombo, Negombo, Chilaw, Puttalam, Kalpitiya, and several areas in the Eastern Province.
“Restoring the affected areas will require an estimated 5,280 man-hours,” Gunasekara said, noting that monsoon conditions have also pushed garbage from the Indian coastline onto Sri Lanka’s shores, exacerbating the pollution.
MEPA is mobilizing a hired workforce for cleanup operations expected to last at least three weeks.
Following collection, local government authorities will manage the disposal of the waste. The agency’s 13 regional offices have been tasked with supporting the effort.
Gunasekara added that an observation report on waste deposited on the seabed is being prepared as part of the ongoing environmental assessment.
The report will help guide long-term restoration and monitoring of coastal ecosystems affected by the disaster.
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