Kankesanthurai

Kankesanthurai
காங்கேசன்துறை
කන්කසන්තුරේ
Town
Kankesanthurai
Coordinates: 09°49′0″N 80°02′0″E / 9.81667°N 80.03333°E / 9.81667; 80.03333
Country Sri Lanka
Province Northern
District Jaffna
DS Division Valikamam North

Kankesanthurai or KKS (Tamil: காங்கேசன்துறை), (Sinhalese: කන්කසන්තුරේ) is a town with a harbour, of Jaffna District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the location of the Sri Lanka Navy naval base, SLNS Uttara. At present the security forces of Sri Lanka declared it a "High Security Zone" and expelled all the residents. India helps in port's restoration. Kankasanthurai port will be the nearest port for all eastern ports in India, as well as for Myanmar and Bangladesh.This city is situated in north of the jaffna peninsula.There about 414km north from Colombo to here .

History

During the civil war, the port at Kankesanturai had to be closed due to safety concerns. Shipwrecks also impeded ship movements within the port.[1]

Geography and climate

Kankesanturai is on the north coast of the Jaffna Peninsula, near Point Pedro, the northernmost point in Sri Lanka. Its port is to the north, facing the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean.

The climate of Jaffna peninsula is considered to be tropical monsoonal with a seasonal rhythm of rainfall. The temperature ranges from 26 C to 33 C. Annual precipitation ranges from 696 mm to 1125 mm. The north east monsoon rain (October to January) accounts for more than 90% of the annual rainfall.

Transport

Rail

Kankesanthurai railway station is the terminus of the Northern Line on the Sri Lanka Railways network. Until 1990, Kankesanturai was the terminus of the Yal Devi service.[2] During the war, trains terminated at Vavniya, leaving Kankesanturai isolated from the national railway network. The line is currently being rebuilt to Kankesanturai, with the Yal Devi planned to return to the town.[3]

Port

The Port at Kankesanturai was closed during the war. It is the nearest port for all eastern ports in India, as well as for Myanmar and Bangladesh.

In 2011, India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement to revive the port by clearing sunken ships and deepening the harbour. The Port should significantly lower the transit time of goods to and from the east coast of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, and propel economic activity in the north.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 R.K. Radhakrishnan (2011-07-21). "India, Sri Lanka MoU to re-build port". THE HINDU. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  2. "Dailynews". President requests patriotic citizens: Join us in building Northern rail track. 2009-03-24.
  3. "Sunday Observer". Yal Devi 'steams' into Omanthai. 2011-05-27.

Coordinates: 09°49′N 80°02′E / 9.817°N 80.033°E / 9.817; 80.033

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