The Irrigation Department reports that persistent heavy rainfall across Sri Lanka has caused most of the major and medium-sized reservoirs under its management to overflow.
According to the department, 55 of the 73 major reservoirs islandwide are currently overflowing. Additionally, over 60 medium-sized tanks have also exceeded their capacity.
The situation is particularly significant in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Puttalam districts, where all reservoirs are reported to be overflowing.
In other districts, the following numbers of reservoirs are affected:
Ampara District: 8 out of 9 tanks
Badulla District: 4 out of 7 tanks
Batticaloa District: 3 out of 4 tanks
Hambantota District: 4 out of 10 tanks
Galle District: 1 out of 2 tanks
Kandy District: 2 out of 3 tanks
Kurunegala District: 9 out of 10 tanks
Monaragala District: 2 out of 3 tanks
Trincomalee District: 4 out of 5 tanks
Mannar District: 2 out of 4 tanks
The Irrigation Department urges the public living downstream of these reservoirs to exercise caution as water levels continue to rise.
