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Sri Lanka's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) will pass a three day blockade on social media networks such as Facebook Inc. Viber and Whatsapp across the country to prevent the spread of communal violence, officials said on Wednesday.

A state of emergency has been imposed in the island by the government, because of attacks on mosques and businesses belonging to minority Muslims in the central highlands district by Buddhist mobs who are angry over an altercation over the weekend.

Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne who spoke to reporters said the government has asked service providers to block social messaging networks after Facebook post calling for attacks on Muslims was discovered

"The director general (of TRC) will inform all the subscribers about blocking Facebook, Viber, and Whatsapp for 72 hours," a TRC official said.