Watch on 68 km between Bandarawela and Wellawaya
Around Ella and Wellawaya, km 48–118.
You reach it about Tue 16:30, 1 h 30 min after leaving, and are through it by Tue 18:15.
NBRI’s bulletin is valid until Tue 20:00, so it covers that time.
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 to Bandarawela
Not listedkm 0–50 - Ella to Wellawaya
Watchkm 50–117 - Not listedkm 117–122
- Tissamaharama
Outside NBRI’s landslide area: the bulletin says nothing herekm 122–154
Watch on 35 km near Wellawaya
Around Wellawaya, km 84–120.
You reach it about Tue 17:30, 2 h 30 min after leaving, and are through it by Tue 18:15.
NBRI’s bulletin is valid until Tue 20:00, so it covers that time.
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 to Koslanda
Not listedkm 0–86 - Wellawaya
Watchkm 86–120 - Not listedkm 120–124
- Tissamaharama
Outside NBRI’s landslide area: the bulletin says nothing herekm 124–159
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–Tissamaharama road
The fastest road we know from Nuwara Eliya to Tissamaharama is 154 km, about 4 h 10 min, via Welimada, Bandarawela.
Main roads on it: Hambantota-Wellawaya Road (60 km), Wellawaya-Ella-Kumbalwela Road (30 km), Bandarawela-Welimada Road (20 km).
We show 2 roads between them, fastest first.
DS divisions on this road
It passes through 9 DS divisions in 4 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: Haputale (10), Ella (8), Nuwara Eliya (5).
A record of past bulletins, not a forecast. Not being listed doesn’t mean safe.
Steep terrain
About 14 km of it runs through steep terrain (slopes over 30° beside the road). The longest stretch is near Ella.
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, 03:30. Checked Tue 10 Nov, 08:50.
Landslide (NBRI)
×| Warned DS division | Level | From km |
|---|---|---|
| Ella | Watch | 49 |
| Wellawaya | Watch | 71 |
Rain on route
×Moderate rain, up to 12.2 mm in 24 h
Rain gauges near your route
Key
- 1 Nuwara Eliya, 9.4 mm, light rain
- 8 Bandarawela, 4.7 mm, light rain
- 14 Kuda Oya, 4.9 mm, light rain
- 15 Thanamalwila, ≥ 5.7 mm, light rain or more (incomplete day)
- 16 Mattala, 12.2 mm, moderate rain
11 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.
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, Welimada, Bandarawela, Haputale +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, Welimada, Bandarawela, Haputale +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 10 named rivers · 2 basins
Mahaweli Ganga · Kirindi Oya
River basins along this road
- km 0–57 · Mahaweli Ganga basin
- km 57–154 · Kirindi Oya 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 24–25 · Dougolla Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · 3 crossings · flows north
62 km² drain to this point - km 37–40 · Uma Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · 4 crossings · flows north
155 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month) - km 51–52 · Badulu Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · 2 crossings · flows north
3.0 km² drain to this point - km 59–61 · Kirindi Oya · 4 crossings · flows east
18 km² drain to this point - km 77–82 · Kirindi Oya · 4 crossings · flows south-west
89 km² drain to this point
Wellawaya, an Irrigation Department gauge 15.6 km downstream (179 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): no complete 24-hour total (8 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:02.
River level 1.67 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4.4, minor flood 5.4, major flood 5.9 m) - km 79 · Kunapad Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south
98 km² drain to this point - km 85 · Radapola Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
16 km² drain to this point - km 87 · Galamola Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
6.2 km² drain to this point - km 90–92 · Kirindi Oya · 3 crossings · flows south
0.1 km² drain to this point
Wellawaya, an Irrigation Department gauge 1.1 km upstream (179 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): no complete 24-hour total (8 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:02.
River level 1.67 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4.4, minor flood 5.4, major flood 5.9 m) - km 94 · Dambakola Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
3.1 km² drain to this point - km 95 · Kirindi Oya · flows south
233 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)
Wellawaya, an Irrigation Department gauge 6.6 km upstream (179 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): no complete 24-hour total (8 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:02.
River level 1.67 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4.4, minor flood 5.4, major flood 5.9 m) - km 110 · Kuda Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows east
300 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)
Kuda Oya, an Irrigation Department gauge 0.5 km upstream (299 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): 4.9 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (Light); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:01.
River level 1.89 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 6.9, minor flood 8.4, major flood 8.8 m) - km 125 · Kirindi Oya · flows south-east
2.0 km² drain to this point
Thanamalwila, an Irrigation Department gauge 9.3 km upstream (696 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 24 hours: Unusual here (3 days a month)): at least 5.7 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (2 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:07.
River level 2.06 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4, minor flood 5, major flood 5.5 m) - km 150 · Kiridi Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
1,019 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 24 hours: Unusual here (3 days a month)
And 1 more unnamed stream on our map
Where this road runs beside a river
- km 39–40 · beside the Uma Oya
- km 51–52 · beside the Badulu Oya
- km 59–62 · beside the Kirindi Oya
- km 91–92 · beside the Kirindi Oya
- km 95–96 · beside the Kirindi Oya
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wellawaya | Watch | 85 |
Rain on route
×Moderate rain, up to 12.2 mm in 24 h
Rain gauges near your route
Key
- 1 Nuwara Eliya, 9.4 mm, light rain
- 13 Kuda Oya, 4.9 mm, light rain
- 14 Thanamalwila, ≥ 5.7 mm, light rain or more (incomplete day)
- 15 Mattala, 12.2 mm, moderate rain
11 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.
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, Welimada, Haputale, Haldummulla +4 (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, Welimada, Haputale, Haldummulla +4 (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 14 named rivers · 4 basins · Walawe Ganga basin rain: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
Mahaweli Ganga · Walawe Ganga · Kirindi Oya …
River basins along this road
- km 0–45 · Mahaweli Ganga basin
- km 46–70 · Walawe Ganga basin
- km 70–148 · Kirindi Oya basin
- km 148–149 · Embilikala Aru basin
- km 149–159 · Kirindi Oya basin
Satellite rain over these basins
- Walawe Ganga basin · Last 3 days: Rare here (1–2 days a month)
- 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 31 · Kandapuhulpola Kandura (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows east
13 km² drain to this point - km 36 · Ellatotakanda Oya (Mahaweli Ganga basin) · flows north
28 km² drain to this point - km 51–53 · Diyakana Oya (Walawe Ganga basin) · 2 crossings · flows south-west
0.5 km² drain to this point - km 63 · Lemastota Oya (Walawe Ganga basin) · flows south-east
0.4 km² drain to this point - km 64 · Monarakanda Oya (Walawe Ganga basin) · flows west
17 km² drain to this point - km 67 · Kalkanna Oya (Walawe Ganga basin) · flows south-west
1.1 km² drain to this point - km 75 · Punagala Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south
6.9 km² drain to this point - km 80 · Galamola Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south
0.8 km² drain to this point - km 85–87 · Radapola Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · 2 crossings · flows north-east
3.0 km² drain to this point - km 90 · Galamola Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
6.2 km² drain to this point - km 93–95 · Kirindi Oya · 3 crossings · flows south
0.1 km² drain to this point
Wellawaya, an Irrigation Department gauge 1.1 km upstream (179 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): no complete 24-hour total (8 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:02.
River level 1.67 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4.4, minor flood 5.4, major flood 5.9 m) - km 97 · Dambakola Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
3.1 km² drain to this point - km 98 · Kirindi Oya · flows south
233 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)
Wellawaya, an Irrigation Department gauge 6.6 km upstream (179 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): no complete 24-hour total (8 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:02.
River level 1.67 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4.4, minor flood 5.4, major flood 5.9 m) - km 113 · Kuda Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows east
300 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)
Kuda Oya, an Irrigation Department gauge 0.5 km upstream (299 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 3 days: Unusual here (3 days a month)): 4.9 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (Light); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:01.
River level 1.89 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 6.9, minor flood 8.4, major flood 8.8 m) - km 127 · Kirindi Oya · flows south-east
2.0 km² drain to this point
Thanamalwila, an Irrigation Department gauge 9.3 km upstream (696 km² upstream · rain over that area, Last 24 hours: Unusual here (3 days a month)): at least 5.7 mm in the 24 hours to 9 Nov, 08:30 (2 hourly readings missing); 0 mm in the 3 hours to 10 Nov, 08:07.
River level 2.06 m · Below Alert · falling over about 3 hours (Department’s thresholds: Alert 4, minor flood 5, major flood 5.5 m) - km 138 · Weerawila Ara (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south
27 km² drain to this point - km 154 · Kiridi Oya (Kirindi Oya basin) · flows south-east
1,019 km² drain to this point · rain over that area, Last 24 hours: Unusual here (3 days a month)
Where this road runs beside a river
- km 94–95 · beside the Kirindi Oya
- km 97–99 · beside the Kirindi Oya
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, Badulla, Moneragala and Hambantota.
- 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 Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Moneragala 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.
- Covers Hambantota on this road: 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 Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Moneragala 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.
- 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.