El Nino effect leaves over 115,000 in Sri Lanka facing drinking water shortage

Over 115,000 people in Sri Lanka are facing drinking water shortages as an emerging El Nino condition, coupled with high temperatures and scant rainfall, intensified dry weather across parts of the island, officials said on Tuesday.

Meteorology Department Director General Ajith Wijemanna said an El Nino condition was developing and could be contributing to the prevailing weather pattern. El Nino, a periodic warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, can alter temperature patterns across the region. Its development is being closely monitored for its possible impact on Sri Lanka as the dry spell continues.

The island nation, surrounded by the Indian Ocean, is likely to feel the effect more intensely, experts opine. According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), 115,586 people have been affected by the El Nino weather pattern across seven of Sri Lanka’s 25 administrative districts.

The severe heat and lack of rainfall have affected many areas, creating serious challenges for the availability of water, it said in a press release. Pragith Danansuriya, a DMC official, said 115,534 people are currently affected by the shortage of drinking water.

In the north-central Anuradhapura district, the water level in Eruwewa reservoir, which has a capacity of about 3,500 acre-feet, has fallen to around 1,000 acre-feet, irrigation officials said. Water levels have also declined in areas, including Matale in the central region and Nandikadal in the northeast, officials said.

The prolonged dry conditions are also affecting aquatic life and wildlife. Thousands of small fish have been found dead in the Mullaithivu lagoon in the northeast, with officials attributing the deaths to the mixing of seawater and freshwater.

Natural water sources are drying up in several areas, forcing wild animals to move in search of alternative sources of water.

The drought has also affected agriculture, with crops including paddy, coconut, banana and guava facing damage due to lack of water.

Wijemanna said some rainfall could be expected from the end of September, raising hopes of relief from the prevailing conditions.