Watch on 66 km between Nuwara Eliya and Kandy
Around Kothmale and Pussellawa, km 8–75.
You reach it about Tue 18:15, 20 min after leaving, and are through it by Tue 20:20.
This bulletin ends Tue 20:00, while you are on that part of the road. The next one usually comes out 16:45–17:45: check it before you get there.
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.
- Nuwara Eliya
Not listedkm 0–8 - Kothmale to Gampola
Watchkm 8–74 - Kandy
Not listedkm 74–82
Watch on 76 km between Nuwara Eliya and Kandy
Around Kothmale and Gampola, km 8–85.
You reach it about Tue 18:15, 20 min after leaving, and are through it by Tue 20:45.
This bulletin ends Tue 20:00, while you are on that part of the road. The next one usually comes out 16:45–17:45: check it before you get there.
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.
- Nuwara Eliya
Not listedkm 0–8 - Kothmale to Gampola
Watchkm 8–84 - Kandy
Not listedkm 84–90
Alert on 16 km near Padiyapelella
Around Padiyapelella, km 13–26, km 30–37.
Also: Watch on 24 km between Padiyapelella and Hanguranketha
You reach it about Tue 18:25, 30 min after leaving, and are through it by Tue 19:40.
NBRI’s bulletin is valid until Tue 20:00, so it covers that time.
Since the rainfall within the past 24 hours has exceeded 100 mm, if the rains continue, be on alert on the possibility of landslides, slope failures, rock falls, cut failures and ground subsidence, being ready to evacuate to a safe location if the need arises.
- Nuwara Eliya
Not listedkm 0–13 - near Padiyapelella
Alert, Watchkm 13–31 - Padiyapelella
Alertkm 31–36 - Rikillagaskada to Hanguranketha
Watchkm 36–53 - Kandy
Not listedkm 53–81
Before you go
We don’t know about road closures or damage. Be cautious on the way, especially in the hills in rain.
About the Nuwara Eliya–Kandy road
The fastest road we know from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy is 82 km, about 2 h 40 min, via Pussellawa.
Main roads on it: Nuwara Eliya Road (51 km), Kadugannawa Road (6 km), Daulagala-Watadeniya Road (5 km).
We show 3 roads between them, fastest first.
DS divisions on this road
It passes through 5 DS divisions in 2 districts, in travel order:
Past NBRI bulletins
Most often listed on this road, in the 41 NBRI bulletins we have passed on since Sun 20 Sept: Udunuwara (20), Kothmale East (14), Udapalatha (14).
A record of past bulletins, not a forecast. Not being listed doesn’t mean safe.
Steep terrain
About 7 km of it runs through steep terrain (slopes over 30° beside the road). The longest stretch is near Kothmale.
Terrain beside the road, from a satellite elevation model: not the road’s gradient and not a landslide hazard rating.
How to read this
- Not an official service. NBRI’s warnings are passed on as issued.
- Rain levels compare each division with its own satellite record since 2000. Satellites can miss heavy local downpours.
- Gauge sources: Department of Meteorology and Irrigation Department gauge readings, passed on as published. Met gauge sites are approximate. 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. Checked Tue 10 Nov, 08:40.
Landslide (NBRI)
×| Warned DS division | Level | From km |
|---|---|---|
| Kothmale East | Watch | 8 |
| Udapalatha | Watch | 36 |
| Udunuwara | Watch | 59 |
Rain on route
×Moderate rain, up to 20.2 mm in 24 h
Rain gauges near your route
Key
- 1 Nuwara Eliya, 9.4 mm, light rain
- 8 Peradeniya, 20.2 mm, moderate rain
7 gauges not reporting.
Gauge coverage: most of the route.
NBRI's warning stays in force after rain eases.
Satellite estimate
- Last 3 days: among the wettest 5% of 3-day periods since 2000 in Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale East, Udapalatha, Udunuwara +1.
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 Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale East, Udapalatha, Udunuwara +1 (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 Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale East, Udapalatha, Udunuwara +1 (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.
Rivers and catchments
×Crosses 6 named rivers · 1 basin · rain upstream of Mahaweli Ganga: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Mahaweli Ganga
River basins along this road
- km 0–82 · Mahaweli Ganga basin
Satellite rain over these basins
- Mahaweli Ganga basin · Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 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.
Where this road crosses a river or stream
- km 10 · Puna Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows west
6.8 km² drain to this point - km 35 · Gamburu Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows south-west
0.3 km² drain to this point - km 48–49 · Atabaga Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · 2 crossings · flows south
44 km² drain to this point - km 54 · Mahaweli Ganga · flows north-east
900 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Peradeniya, an Irrigation Department gauge 15.4 km downstream (1,143 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)): 20.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (Moderate); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:11.
River level 3.64 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 5, minor flood 7, major flood 9 m) - km 67–69 · Geli Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · 2 crossings · flows north-east
12 km² drain to this point - km 69 · Mada Ela (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows north-west
20 km² drain to this point - km 73–76 · Mahaweli Ganga · 4 crossings · flows north-west
1,068 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Peradeniya, an Irrigation Department gauge 2.9 km downstream (1,143 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)): 20.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (Moderate); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:11.
River level 3.64 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 5, minor flood 7, major flood 9 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.
Landslide (NBRI)
×| Warned DS division | Level | From km |
|---|---|---|
| Kothmale East | Watch | 8 |
| Kothmale West | Watch | 37 |
| Udapalatha | Watch | 45 |
| Ganga Ihala Korale | Watch | 50 |
| Udunuwara | Watch | 64 |
| Yatinuwara | Watch | 76 |
Rain on route
×Moderate rain, up to 38.9 mm in 24 h
Rain gauges near your route
Key
- 1 Nuwara Eliya, 9.4 mm, light rain
- 5 Kotmale, 38.9 mm, moderate rain
- 10 Peradeniya, 20.2 mm, moderate rain
8 gauges not reporting.
Gauge coverage: most of the route.
NBRI's warning stays in force after rain eases.
Satellite estimate
- Last 3 days: among the wettest 5% of 3-day periods since 2000 in Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale East, Kothmale West, Udapalatha +5.
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 Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale East, Kothmale West, Udapalatha +5 (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 Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale East, Kothmale West, Udapalatha +5 (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.
Rivers and catchments
×Crosses 4 named rivers · 2 basins · rain upstream of Mahaweli Ganga: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Mahaweli Ganga · Maha Oya
River basins along this road
- km 0–66 · Mahaweli Ganga basin
- km 66–72 · Maha Oya basin
- km 72–91 · Mahaweli Ganga basin
Satellite rain over these basins
- Mahaweli Ganga basin · Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)
- Maha Oya basin · Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 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.
Where this road crosses a river or stream
- km 10 · Puna Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows west
6.8 km² drain to this point - km 33 · Gamburu Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows south-east
7.5 km² drain to this point - km 50–51 · Mahaweli Ganga · 2 crossings · flows north-east
794 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Nawalapitiya, an Irrigation Department gauge 7.2 km upstream (187 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)): 36.6 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (Moderate); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:01.
River level 1.72 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 3.5, minor flood 5, major flood 6 m) - km 79 · Nanu Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows south-east
45 km² drain to this point - km 81–86 · Mahaweli Ganga · 5 crossings · flows north
1,143 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Peradeniya, an Irrigation Department gauge 0.3 km downstream (1,143 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)): 20.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (Moderate); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:11.
River level 3.64 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 5, minor flood 7, major flood 9 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.
Landslide (NBRI)
×| Warned DS division | Level | From km |
|---|---|---|
| Walapane | Alert | 13 |
| Mathurata | Watch | 25 |
| Hanguranketha | Watch | 44 |
Rain on route
×Light rain, up to 9.4 mm in 24 h
Rain gauges near your route
Key
- 1 Nuwara Eliya, 9.4 mm, light rain
12 gauges not reporting.
Gauge coverage: most of the route.
NBRI's warning stays in force after rain eases.
Satellite estimate
- Last 3 days: among the wettest 5% of 3-day periods since 2000 in Nuwara Eliya, Walapane, Mathurata, Hanguranketha +2.
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 Nuwara Eliya, Walapane, Mathurata, Hanguranketha +2 (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 Nuwara Eliya, Walapane, Mathurata, Hanguranketha +2 (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.
Rivers and catchments
×Crosses 1 named river · 1 basin
Mahaweli Ganga
River basins along this road
- km 0–80 · Mahaweli Ganga basin
Satellite rain over these basins
- Mahaweli Ganga basin · Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 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.
Where this road crosses a river or stream
- km 53 · Maha Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows north
108 km² drain to this point
And 5 more unnamed streams on our map
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.
Weather forecast (Met Dept)
×No advisory for this road
- No Department of Meteorology advisory is in force for Nuwara Eliya and Kandy.
- 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 Kandy and Nuwara Eliya 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 Kandy and Nuwara Eliya 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)
- Nuwara Eliya: Showers or thundershowers after 1.00p.m. Max 22°C, min 13°C.
- Kandy: Showers or thundershowers after 1.00p.m. Max 30°C, min 24°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.