If the prevailing arid weather continues to prevail, the available water levels in reservoirs will be sufficient only for another 4 weeks, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) says.

According to the state-owned utility, hydroelectricity generation capacity has gone down by 15%.

The CEB further mentioned that electricity is provided without interruption at present owing to thermal power generation.

It is reported that the water capacity of Samanalawewa reservoir has dropped to 1%, Castlereagh reservoir’s to 21%, Maussakelle reservoir’s to 35% and Victoria reservoir’s to 25%.

Accordingly, only 300 gigawatt-hours of hydropower can be generated in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, total gross electricity generation from thermal power plants has been increased to 65%. In addition, about 11% of electricity generation capacity has been added to the national system through the use of solar and wind power.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said the number of people affected by the prevailing extreme dry weather has soared to 291,720.

The Northern Province remains the hardest hit by the drought, as 75,607 people from 23,688 families are affected.

In the Eastern and Sabaragamuwa provinces, 63,265 people from 18,981 families and 55,096 people from 13,705 families are affected, respectively.