COLOMBO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has extended the state of public emergency, according to an extraordinary gazette notification issued under the signature of Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, secretary to the president.

The gazette said the proclamation, issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake under Section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance, brings the provisions of Part II of the ordinance into operation across the country, effective from Feb. 28, 2026.

The notification said the extension aims to ensure public security, maintain public order, and safeguard the continuity of essential supplies and services required for public life, citing an ongoing public emergency situation.

The gazette also extended a separate notification designating 15 essential services, including electricity, fuel, health services, transport, roads, water, and food, among others.

Dissanayake first declared a nationwide state of public emergency on Nov. 29, 2025, after cyclone Ditwah made landfall and caused extensive damage across the island. This state has since been extended twice on Dec. 28, 2025, and Jan. 28, 2026, respectively. ■