The ongoing dry weather has affected 169,071 people from 51,959 families across 10 districts, according to the Disaster Management Centre.
The dry conditions now cover 39 Divisional Secretariat Divisions.
At the same time, authorities have started supplying drinking water to 142,219 people from 43,378 families in affected areas.
This has made the supply of drinking water a key part of the response.
Monaragala Records Highest Impact
Monaragala has recorded the highest number of people affected by the dry weather.
The district has 42,565 affected people from 13,062 families across seven Divisional Secretariat Divisions.
Meanwhile, the DMC says teams are supplying drinking water to affected areas in the district.
Matale has also recorded a large number of affected people.
The dry weather has affected 37,512 people from 11,792 families in the district.
Authorities are supplying drinking water to 18,273 people from 5,910 families in one Divisional Secretariat Division.
Batticaloa Also Needs Water Supplies
In Batticaloa, the dry weather has affected 33,394 people from 11,143 families.
The DMC says authorities are supplying drinking water across eight Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the district.
The affected districts also include Ampara, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Hambantota, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and Vavuniya.
As dry conditions continue, authorities must keep moving drinking water to communities that need it.
The scale of the response also shows the importance of water supply and distribution in areas facing prolonged dry weather.
Ministerial Update Numbers & Indexes
Last modified: September 20, 2026
