When the Waters Rise: Floods, Fear and the ancient survivors of Sri Lanka

The water came quietly at first, a steady rise along the riverbanks, familiar to communities who have lived beside Sri Lanka's great waterways for generations. But within hours, these same rivers had swollen into raging, unpredictable forces. The Kelani Ganga overflowed. The Nilwala broke its margins. The Bentara, Kalu, and Mahaweli formed churning, chocolate-brown channels cutting through thousands of homes.

- BY IFHAM NIZAM

Adult Mugger (Crocodylus plaustris) Photo -Laxman Nadaraja Anslem de Silva

(Laxman Nadaraja Anslem de Silva)

When the floods finally began to recede, villagers emerged to assess the damage, only to be confronted by another challenge: crocodiles. From Panadura's back lanes to the suburbs of Colombo, and from the lagoons around Kalutara to the paddy fields of the dry zone, reports poured in of crocodiles resting on bunds, climbing over fences, or drifting silently into garden wells.

For many, these encounters were terrifying. But to Sri Lanka's top herpetologists, the message was clear: this is what happens when climate extremes collide with shrinking habitats.

"Crocodiles are not invading us ... we are invading floodplains"

Sri Lanka's foremost crocodile expert, Dr. Anslem de Silva, Regional Chairman for South Asia and Iran of the IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, has been studying crocodiles for over half a century. His warning is blunt.

"When rivers turn into violent torrents, crocodiles simply seek safety," he says. "They avoid fast-moving water the same way humans do. During floods, they climb onto land or move into calm backwaters. People must understand this behaviour is natural, not aggressive."

In the past week alone, Saltwater crocodiles have been sighted entering the Wellawatte Canal, drifting into the Panadura estuary, and appearing unexpectedly along Bolgoda Lake.

"Saltwater crocodiles often get washed out to sea during big floods," Dr. de Silva explains. "Once the current weakens, they reenter through the nearest lagoon or canal system. With rapid urbanisation along these waterways, these interactions are now far more visible."

This clash between wildlife instinct and human expansion forms the backdrop of a crisis now unfolding across the island.

A conflict centuries old—now reshaped by climate change