Severe drought conditions have left several regions in Sri Lanka facing acute water shortages, with major reservoirs drying up and affecting both drinking water supplies and agricultural activities. The government is coordinating relief efforts as extreme heat compounds the crisis.

Extensive dry weather has created a water emergency across the Northern, North Central, Eastern and Uva provinces, with reservoirs and tanks experiencing dramatic declines in water levels. In Monaragala's Kotiyagala area, the Kotagala Maha Wewa—which once covered approximately 300 acres—now contains water in less than half an acre. Similar deterioration has affected other major water bodies, including the Diyulgaskanda Wewa in Wellawaya and multiple smaller tanks throughout the Mihintale Divisional Secretariat Division.

The shortages are creating cascading problems for local communities. In Medirigiriya's Kumbukunawala area, residents reported that dried grasslands have left dairy cattle without adequate feed following the loss of the local tank. Agricultural activity in Polonnaruwa's Hatharakotuwa area has been severely hampered, with the drying of Makula Wewa affecting approximately 25 acres of paddy cultivation. Residents in some areas have resorted to digging pits along canals to locate water after wells dried up.

The Housing Construction and Water Supply Ministry, headed by Susil Ranasinghe, has activated emergency response measures, deploying water tankers to affected districts including Batticaloa, Ampara, Monaragala and Ratnapura through the Disaster Management Centre. A ministerial subcommittee is scheduled to reconvene on August 17 to reassess community needs and determine additional relief measures.

The crisis coincides with a severe heat warning from the Department of Meteorology, which forecasts heat index values between 39 and 45 degrees Celsius in several districts. The Government Medical Officers' Association has advised residents to maintain adequate hydration and avoid prolonged sun exposure, warning of potential heat exhaustion and heatstroke requiring immediate medical attention.