The National Blood Bank has temporarily stopped admitting blood donors at its Narahenpita centre due to overcrowding.
According to officials, the current number of donors already at the site will take until at least 10 p.m. to complete the donation process.
As a result, the public is advised not to visit the Narahenpita centre today.
The surge in donor turnout follows an urgent appeal made yesterday by the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), which reported a shortage of blood supplies due to the ongoing disaster situation.
The Narahenpita centre operates daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Newswire)