Colombo drainage capacity overwhelmed by intense rain, council official says
In a further explanation published on November 11, Colombo Municipal Council drainage and water-supply deputy director Deepika Wijethilake said the city's drains were designed to handle about 30mm of rain an hour and had been overwhelmed by an unusually intense downpour.
She said work was being planned to expand the network and increase the capacity of existing drains. Daily cleaning continued despite staff shortages, while recruitment and assistance from the armed forces were being considered.
The account gives inconsistent descriptions of the rainfall total and its duration. No new precise rainfall total is added here.
Earlier report (2026-11-08)
Colombo Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazaar has said that 129 millimetres of rain fell within a short period yesterday, causing sudden flooding in many parts of the city. She explained that the city's drainage system is designed to cope with only about 30 millimetres of rain, which is why it could not handle such a heavy downpour.
The Mayor added that steps are being taken to provide speedy relief to those affected, and that short-term, medium-term and long-term plans have been drawn up to solve the flooding problem.
