People wade through floodwaters in Sri Lanka, 12 January 2011. Record rains have increased the urgency of climate change adaptation. More than 500,000 people were affected by the rains. © Contributor / IRIN

COLOMBO, 12 January 2011 (IRIN) – Ongoing storms have dumped more rain in one eastern district of Sri Lanka than witnessed in a century, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC). Nationwide, storms have hit some two million people in the past seven months and hastened climate adaptation plans already under way, according to the government. National climate scientist WL Sumathipala said recent storm activity had sped up the timetable to help residents cope with changing weather. “We have looked at weather patterns for a long period of time and it is only now that we are ready to make scientifically supported statements about climate change.” Continuous rains since 26 December have caused rock slides and displacement, mostly in northern and eastern parts of the country, and closed schools. As of 11 January, about 33,330 families have been displaced to 351 relocation centres. Some 300km east of the capital, Colombo, Batticaloa District – which set the century’s rainfall record – accounts for almost half of those families, according to DMC. Here, some 200 reservoirs have completely washed away, with most other tanks spilling over, based on early government surveys. …

SRI LANKA: Record rains increase urgency of climate change adaptation