Colombo reports 59 tree falls amid heavy rains

The Colombo Municipal Council has reported 59 incidents of tree falls within its jurisdiction due to heavy rains and windy weather conditions. 

Engineer Manoj Ranasinghe, Director of Land and Environmental Development, said that 19 of these incidents occurred at Vihara Mahadevi Park.

Ranasinghe said that an inspection was conducted to identify at-risk trees, resulting in the identification of over 200 such trees. Of these, 100 have already been removed.

The Director attributed the current tree falls to weaknesses in the roots, identified by features of the trunk. He added that the CMC is collaborating with the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) to mitigate further damage.