Colombo, November 25 (Daily Mirror) - The Irrigation Department has taken measures to open the spill gates of several irrigation reservoirs due to heavy showers in the catchment areas, Civil Engineer Lahiruni Jayatillake said.

She said that 16 main irrigation tanks out of 73 have started spilling and their water capacity has reached 57 percent.

• The water capacity of the main tanks in the country is as follows:
• Ampara, Anuradhapura, and Badulla districts: 50 percent
• Batticaloa district: 38 percent
• Hambantota, Galle, Kandy and Kurunegala districts: More than 80 percent,
• Moneragala and Polonnaruwa districts: More than 60 percent,
• Puttalam district: 70 percent,
• Trincomalee and Mannar districts: 42 percent.

Reservoirs such as Weheragala, Bandagiriya, Tissa Wewa, Yodha Wewa, Weerawila Lake and Muruthawela in the Hambantota District have started spilling.

"Six spill gates of the Rajanganaya Wewa in the Anuradhapura District have been opened, releasing 5,750 cubic inches of water into the Kala Oya. The Ambewela Wewa and Sorabora Wewa in the Badulla District, as well as the Ellewela Reservoir and Kekanadura Wewa, have also started spilling. The Deduru Oya Reservoir in the Kurunegala District has opened two spill gates, releasing 4,100 cubic inches of water per second. Additionally, the Mediyawa Wewa in Kurunegala and the Ethimale Reservoir in Moneragala have begun spilling," the engineer said.

Currently, 21 reservoirs and tanks have recorded water capacities between 90 and 100 percent, while 16 reservoirs and tanks have capacities between 70 and 90 percent.

Due to the low-pressure area over the southwest Bay of Bengal intensifying into a depression over the central-southwest Bay of Bengal, the water capacity of reservoirs across the country is expected to increase with the rains, the engineer said.

Residents in low-lying areas are urged to remain vigilant over potential flash floods.