• Western and S’gamuwa Provinces badly affected
• Met. Dept. predicts continuity of dry weather
• CEB hydro generation remains at nearly 22%

Nearly 5,000 residents across the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces have been badly affected by the ongoing dry weather conditions, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has announced. 

According to the DMC’s daily situation report published on 16 March, approximately 1,284 families, totalling nearly 3,900 individuals in the Divulapitiya area of Gampaha alongside nearly 900 residents in Kegalle are grappling with a shortage of drinking water.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, DMC Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili highlighted the importance of affected residents reaching out to the DMC for assistance through the hotline 117.

Furthermore, Kodippili clarified that while conditions were dry, there was no official drought declaration, emphasising on the need for proactive measures to mitigate the effects of the dry weather.

Meanwhile, Meteorology Department Duty Meteorologist Shanika Dissanayake told The Sunday Morning that a handful of areas in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces had received minimal rainfall.

“The majority of the region is facing an acute shortage of rainwater, with Galle and Matara experiencing sporadic showers in the evenings,” she added.

Meanwhile, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has implemented intermittent water supply to the regions of Dehiwala, Ratmalana, Moratuwa, Panadura, Wadduwa, and Waskaduwa due to increased water consumption amidst dry weather conditions.

The supply to these areas is characterised by low pressure, prompting the board to urge the public to use water sparingly.

In addition, the department has predicted that misty conditions can be expected in some areas in the Sabaragamuwa, Central, and Uva Provinces and in the Galle and Matara Districts during the morning.