{"id":275,"date":"2024-12-06T19:26:46","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T19:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/?p=275"},"modified":"2025-07-21T17:45:37","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T17:45:37","slug":"kanthale-tank-dam-and-reserviour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/06\/kanthale-tank-dam-and-reserviour\/","title":{"rendered":"Kanthale Tank, Dam and Reserviour in Trincomalee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Kanthale Tank, located just beyond the Trincomalee-Dambulla main road (A7)<\/a>, is an easily accessible destination for travelers along this route. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Its serene waters, set against the lush greenery of the surrounding forest, create a tranquil and inviting atmosphere. Visitors are often compelled to pause and unwind, captivated by the natural beauty and peaceful ambiance of the area. It’s an ideal spot for leisurely relaxation, whether you’re passing through or seeking a brief escape into nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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History of Kanthale Tank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Kanthale Tank, originally known as Gangathala Vapi<\/strong>, has a rich history that dates back to the early 7th century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kulakkottan and King Parakramabahu the Great <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It was first constructed by Kulakkottan<\/strong> during his reign (604\u2013614 AD) and later expanded and developed by King Parakramabahu the Great<\/strong> in the 12th century, reflecting its enduring importance in Sri Lanka\u2019s ancient hydraulic civilization.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Capacity of Kanthale Tank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With a catchment area of 216 km\u00b2 (83 sq mi)<\/strong> and a capacity of 135 million cubic meters<\/strong>, this reservoir is a vital resource for irrigation and agriculture in the region. Its historical significance and engineering marvel make it not only a functional structure but also a remarkable testament to the ingenuity of Sri Lanka’s ancient rulers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Unfortunate Tank Dam Failure in 1986<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Kanthale Tank faced a tragic disaster on 20 April 1986<\/strong> when its dam breached at approximately 3:00 AM. The catastrophic flood unleashed a massive wall of water, devastating the villages downstream. The disaster resulted in the loss of 120\u2013180 lives<\/strong>, destroyed over 1,600 houses<\/strong>, and ruined approximately 2,000 acres (810 hectares)<\/strong> of paddy fields. This calamity severely affected over 8,000 families<\/strong>, leaving a lasting impact on the region.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One of the primary reasons attributed to the breach was the use of extra-heavy vehicles<\/strong> being driven over the dam, compromising its structural integrity. This incident underscores the critical need for proper maintenance and regulation to ensure the safety of such vital infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let’s Enjoy and Feel the beauty at Kanthale tank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Bathing and Swiming at Kanthale Tank<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are a few points to having a safe bath and you should be careful to keep yourself and your beloved ones safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are not good at swimming and if you are alone, we thoroughly advise you not to play with water. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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At an evening with a lovely sunset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lovely sky and comfortable slow wind to feel you in a different life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This photo was taken by the author in a lovely sunset around 6.00 pm.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Paddy fields, Jungles and Villages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just opposite the tank, there are paddy fields which depend their cultivation on the water provided by Kanthale tank.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Walk along on the Tank Dam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kantale tank dam is lengthier than 4 km and lot of length of tank dam is in the main road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, you can stop your vehicle in the dam and walk.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Kanthale Tank, located just beyond the Trincomalee-Dambulla main road (A7), is an easily accessible […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,11],"tags":[60,62,57,58,56,53,54,55,59,148,61],"class_list":["post-275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-natural-environment","tag-bathing-at-kanthale-dam","tag-how-to-visit-kanthale-tank","tag-kanthale-dam","tag-kanthale-dam-failure-in-1986","tag-kanthale-reserviour","tag-kanthale-tank","tag-kanthale-tank-beauty","tag-kanthale-tank-dam","tag-sunset-at-kanthale-dam","tag-trincomalee","tag-where-is-kanthale-dam"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=275"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":546,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275\/revisions\/546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ceylonmajesty.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}