He said this during the cabinet decision media briefing held today (08) at the Department of Government Information.

The Minister explained that the area where the Sapugaskanda oil refinery was located was flooded due to the separator tanks containing furnace oil at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery having overflowed with water.

This plant has been a groundwater treatment plant since the 1960s. He further added that he had appointed two committees as the Minister of Energy to look into this particular incident and oversee the real reason for this incident, whether it was due to some negligence on the part of the officials and what steps should be taken to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Accordingly, the damage caused by this incident will be calculated and action will be taken to compensate the affected and the committee headed by Senior Manager of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Y.B.M. Priyankara will be in operation and that the committee has been instructed to submit the relevant committee reports within fourteen days, said the Minister.