Fire breaks out on main island of Castlereagh Reservoir

A fire erupted this afternoon (April 4) on the main island of the Castlereagh Reservoir, which is an important water source for electricity production in Sri Lanka. According to local residents, the fire seems to have been intentionally started by a group of people near a protected area below a tourist hotel on the island. They claimed that the water level in the reservoir has dropped significantly, making the island more accessible and allowing visitors to start the fire on purpose. Locals also pointed out that many birds, which are unique to the water ecosystem of the Castlereagh Reservoir, were nesting on the island. So far, there have been no reports of any attempts to put out the fire, even as it continues to spread.