Sri Lanka, June 11 -- Sri Lanka may be forced to purify and distribute seawater for drinking purposes if a forecasted severe El Nino event leads to a prolonged drought and depletes the country's main water sources, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warned.

Addressing a media briefing, Additional Secretary K.G.B. Dharmatilaka said the anticipated El Nino anomaly could reach unprecedented levels, posing a significant threat to the nation's water security.

He said the country must urgently strengthen preparedness measures, noting that the National Disaster Services Centre currently has only a limited number of water bowsers available for emergency distribution.

Dharmatilaka cautioned that existing resources may not be sufficient if pr...