Sri Lanka, Dec. 1 -- The Opposition alleged today that the government had not taken precautionary measures to mitigate the devastation caused by the adverse weather despite prior warnings by the Meteorology Department and Irrigation Department of a possible disaster.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Kabir Hashim told Parliament that if the government had taken timely action, a major devastation could have been averted.

He said the Meteorology Department and the Irrigation Department had issued warnings on November 12 of a possible severe weather condition in the country.

He said the government could have released the water in the reservoirs gradually without having to release the water at once, thus causing major floods.

"It is the normal p...