500,000 suffering in the drought cry out for water
Nearly half- a- million Sri Lankans are suffering without water to drink and facing food shortages as a result of lingering drought.
While the Southwest monsoon has brought rains, it has not been enough to replenish the rivers, tanks and agri wells.
Statistics obtained by the Sunday Times show that more than 120,000 families and in excess of 450,000 people have been suffering in the drought since January.
Most of the affected people are in the Eastern, Southern, Northern, North Western and North Central provinces.
The data show that over 160 houses were partially destroyed due to adverse weather and more than 30 houses fully destroyed.
Mannar DMC district assistant director, Kanagaratna Teelipan, said people in five divisions face hardship.
“Over 62,000 people have been affected and 145,000 litres of drinking water has been provided to the five divisions.”
He said that if the situation continued for another 20 days, dry rations will have to be given.
It was also reported that certain residents using tube- wells have complained of excessive levels of salt in the water.
Puttalam Divisional Secretary, Sanjeewani Herath, said there has only been about 50 millimetres of rainfall this month.
“The farmers have only been able to achieve about 50% of what they were hoping to achieve. Farmers do not have any food to eat, because they cannot grow without rain water,” she said.
“Drinking water availability is also very low.’’
District assistant director of the District Disaster Management Coordination unit of the District Secretariat of Jaffna, Mr. S. Ravi, said there is a severe drought in Jaffna.
He said there are only limited water sources and warned of a water scarcity.
Mr. Ravi also said they are focusing on four out of 15 divisional zones, but he fears that the drought might spread.
An official of the Government Agent’s office handling disaster relief in the Jaffna district, who wished to remain unnamed, said drinking water is distributed to nine divisions in Jaffna.
She presented reports which show that there are only 18 tractor bowsers and seven lorry bowsers to provide drinking water to over 20,000 families.
The report shows that the number of family members means that over 70,000 are badly affected by the drought.
Batticaloa DMC district assistant director, Mr. A. S. M. Ziyath, said more than 20,000 people are suffering in eight divisional secretary areas.
He said 27 tanker trucks are used to distribute water.
Polonnaruwa District Secretary Panduka Abayawardhena, said the drought was similar to that in the North. He also reported very high levels of heat and high wind speeds.
“There is no rain at all, we are currently supplying water to over 14,000 families. The biggest issue we are facing is the lack of drinking water.”
Harsh weather conditions were also reported by Anuradhapura District S e c r e t a r y, R . M . Wanninayaka.
The Galle DMC district assistant director, Lt. Col. P. D. Ratnayake, said:
“While it has been raining, that is less than what we usually receive in other monsoon periods
“The rainfall is enough for now. It is enough for the farmers. But I am not certain about the coming months”
The director of weather forecasting and decision support at the Department of Meteorology, Ms. A. R. Warnasooriya, predicts continuing rain for the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North Western provinces until the monsoon season ends in September.
She said there is only a slight chance of rain for drought- hit areas such as Ampara, Badulla and Batticaloa.
“If thunderstorms occur then there will be heavy rain, it’s just that the number of places that receive such rain will be minimal.”
She said that most other areas not receiving rains from the Southwest monsoon will not get rain unless there is a disturbance in weather patterns through an abnormality.
The director general of the Disaster Management Centre, Mr. W. A. Dharmasiri said preparations have been made for flooding and landslides.