Ratnapura
රත්නපුර · இரத்தினபுரி
Ratnapura is in Ratnapura DS division, Ratnapura district
Watch in Ratnapura
About Ratnapura
Ratnapura is a Divisional Secretariat (DS) division in Ratnapura district, Sabaragamuwa Province.
It is inside the area NBRI’s landslide bulletins cover.
Towns on our road checks here: Ratnapura.
Named rivers here: Kalu Ganga (14 km), Bambarabotuwa Oya (9 km), Mututau Ela (8 km), Indum Ganga (7 km), Katugas Ela (6 km).
River basins: Kalu Ganga.
Past NBRI bulletins
35 of the 41 NBRI bulletins we have passed on since Sun 20 Sept listed Ratnapura.
By level: 3 at Evacuation, 11 at Alert, 21 at Watch.
Last listed: Mon 9 Nov, Watch.
A record of past bulletins, not a forecast. Not being listed doesn’t mean safe.
Wettest days on the satellite record
The wettest days here since June 2000, on NASA’s satellite rain estimate (IMERG): November 2000, November 2024, November 2010.
Months only, never amounts: the satellite’s amounts can be far off at any one place (too low in the hills). This is not a warning.
Roads through Ratnapura
The fastest road between two of our towns, as on each road check.
- Ratnapura – Avissawella
- Ratnapura – Balangoda
- Ratnapura – Kalutara
- Colombo – Ratnapura
- BIA Airport (Katunayake) – Ratnapura
- Ratnapura – Belihuloya
- Ratnapura – Bentota
- Ratnapura – Embilipitiya
- Ratnapura – Kitulgala
- Ratnapura – Negombo
- Galle – Ratnapura
- Ratnapura – Hikkaduwa
and 80 more
Neighbouring DS divisions
Embed this on your site
A small card with the current warning for Ratnapura, updated with each bulletin.
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NBRI’s advice, as issued
×NBRI’s advice, as issued:Since the rainfall within the past 24 hours has exceeded 75mm, if the rain continues, be watchful on the possibility of landslides, slope failures, rock falls, cutting failures and ground subsidence.
NBRI, issued Mon 9 Nov, 20:00 · valid to Tue 10 Nov, 20:00
Rain here
×Rain gauges near Ratnapura
- Ratnapura · about 1 km away
8.3 mm, Light rain - Rathnapura · about 1 km away · river gauge
at least 12.4 mm (1 hourly reading missing), Moderate rain or more - DO (NBRI) · about 1 km away
8.6 mm, Light rain - Ratnapura (NBRI) · about 1 km away
6.6 mm, Light rain
Rain in the 24 hours to Mon 9 Nov, 08:30, as published by Department of Meteorology · Irrigation Department · NBRI. Nearest first; Met gauge sites are approximate.
Rain here
Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
- Last 24 hours: among the wettest 5% of 24-hour periods since 2000 in Ratnapura.
- Last 3 days: among the wettest 5% of 3-day periods since 2000 in Ratnapura.
- Last 7 days: among the wettest 5% of 7-day periods since 2000 in Ratnapura.
- Compared with each division's own satellite record since 2000. This is not a warning and does not replace NBRI's levels. Satellites can miss heavy local downpours, so it never means a road is safe. Satellite data up to 10 Nov, 02:30.
Weather forecast (Department of Meteorology)
- No Department of Meteorology advisory is in force for Ratnapura.
- Forecast issued 10 Nov, 05:30
- Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern province and in Trincomalee district.
- Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere in the island after 1.00 p.m.
- Covers Ratnapura on this road: Heavy falls above 100mm are likely at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
- Showers may occur in the coastal areas of the Southern Province during the morning.
- The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
- Covers Ratnapura on this road: Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kurunegala districts during the early hours of the morning.
- Forecast for the main cities, Tuesday, 10 November 2026 (issued 9 Nov, 16:00)
- Ratnapura: Showers or thundershowers after 1.00p.m. Max 33°C, min 23°C.
- A forecast never lowers or replaces the NBRI landslide warning above.
- Forecast and advisories by the Department of Meteorology, Sri Lanka, as issued. LankaWatch is not an official service.
Rain outlook (computer model) · Next day: Chance of a rare wet day
- Next day: a chance of a wet day of the kind that comes about 1–2 days a month in Ratnapura (the wettest 5% of days there; several times the usual chance). (10 Nov, 05:30 to 11 Nov, 05:30)
- Next 3 days: a chance of a wet day of the kind that comes about 1–2 days a month in Ratnapura (the wettest 5% of days there; several times the usual chance). (10 Nov, 05:30 to 13 Nov, 05:30)
- "Not signalled" never means dry or safe. This is a computer model, not a warning, and it never changes NBRI's levels. Like the satellite, it reads hill-country rain low and can miss heavy local downpours.
- ECMWF ensemble forecast (open data, CC BY 4.0), run 9 Nov, 17:30, compared with each division's own satellite record.
None of these changes NBRI’s level.
Weather forecast (Met Dept)
×- No Department of Meteorology advisory is in force for Ratnapura.
- Forecast issued 10 Nov, 05:30
- Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern province and in Trincomalee district.
- Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere in the island after 1.00 p.m.
- Covers Ratnapura on this road: Heavy falls above 100mm are likely at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.
- Showers may occur in the coastal areas of the Southern Province during the morning.
- The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
- Covers Ratnapura on this road: Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kurunegala districts during the early hours of the morning.
- Forecast for the main cities, Tuesday, 10 November 2026 (issued 9 Nov, 16:00)
- Ratnapura: Showers or thundershowers after 1.00p.m. Max 33°C, min 23°C.
- A forecast never lowers or replaces the NBRI landslide warning above.
- Forecast and advisories by the Department of Meteorology, Sri Lanka, as issued. LankaWatch is not an official service.
Rivers and catchments here
×8 named rivers here · 1 basin · Kalu Ganga basin rain: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
River basins this division lies in
- Kalu Ganga basin
Satellite rain over these basins
- Kalu Ganga basin · Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
A whole-basin satellite average against that basin’s own record since 2000, not the area upstream of any one point. Satellites under-read hill rain. Not a warning.
Named rivers through this division
- Kalu Ganga · about 14 km inside
- Bambarabotuwa Oya (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 9 km inside
- Mututau Ela (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 8 km inside
- Indum Ganga (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 7 km inside
- Katugas Ela (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 6 km inside
- Maha Ela (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 6 km inside
- Ella Oya (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 6 km inside
- Kuru Ganga (Kalu Ganga basin) · about 5 km inside
Irrigation Department gauges on these rivers
- Rathnapura, an Irrigation Department gauge in this division (640 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)): at least 12.4 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (1 hourly reading missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:01.
River level 4.98 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 5.2, minor flood 7.5, major flood 9.5 m)
Rivers and basins come from our own map of Sri Lanka’s river network. Flow direction, where shown, is worked out from the height of the land. This is orientation only, not a flood warning.
The area draining to a crossing is worked out from a terrain model (about 90 m cells) and is approximate. The rain over it is the satellite average for that same area, against its own record since 2000. Areas under about 150 km² are smaller than the satellite can see, so they show no rain.
River levels are the Irrigation Department’s own readings at its gauge, against its own thresholds. This is not a flood warning: flood warnings come from the Irrigation Department and DMC.