Over 68,000 people affected by dry weather

A total of 68,041 people across the country were affected by the prevailing dry weather conditions, according to the National Disaster Relief Services Centre.

Senior Assistant Secretary Prageeth Danansooriya stated during an inquiry by the Hiru News Division that people in 17 Grama Niladhari divisions across four districts were affected in this manner.

A drinking water shortage currently exists in certain areas, while issues arose for agriculture as well as daily human life.

Villagers in Hingurakgoda, Polonnaruwa were also placed in severe difficulty with the drying up of the Hatheras Kotuwa Makula Wewa.

Similarly, due to the extreme dry weather prevailing in the Mihintale area, water started drying up in tanks including Mihintale Puna Wewa, Surukkulama Wewa, Kon Wewa, and Veruppankulama Pansal Wewa, according to the Hiru correspondent.

Meanwhile, the heat index felt on the human body will rise to a level requiring attention tomorrow in several districts, the Department of Meteorology stated.

Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Ampara, and Monaragala are included as well.

Meanwhile, the highest temperature of today was recorded from the Polonnaruwa area.

Water distribution activities via bowsers are being carried out in areas facing drinking water issues in Batticaloa, Monaragala, Ratnapura, and Ampara Districts, Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe said.

Against such a backdrop, Senior Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Ragama Faculty of Medicine Miyuru Chandradasa said that illnesses such as depression can potentially aggravate alongside the prevailing hot weather conditions.

Meanwhile, the need for a pre-prepared management system to face climate change, including the El Niño condition, was emphasised at the Sri Lanka Parliamentary Forum on Climate.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Member of Parliament Professor L. M. Abeywickrama, among others, attended this discussion, where numerous matters including climate change, El Niño, agriculture, water management, wildlife conservation, human-elephant conflict, disaster management, and environmental management were discussed.