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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Disasters & Emergencies

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From Daily Star · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Sri Lankan government is delivering water to nearly 72,000 people in seven districts affected by a drought linked to El Niño.
  • The current El Niño impact could be the worst in decades, with water levels in hundreds of small tanks dropping to about 10 percent.
  • The government has allocated Rs.4.8 billion for water distribution, and the environment minister expects El Niño to peak sooner than anticipated.

Sri Lanka's government is implementing a large-scale water delivery operation for almost 72,000 individuals across seven districts. The country is grappling with a severe drought exacerbated by this year's El Niño weather pattern. A senior official confirmed the initiative yesterday.

El Niño, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon, can cause both droughts and floods, intensifying the effects of global warming. Sri Lankan officials warn that this year's impact could be the most severe in decades. Water levels in hundreds of small reservoirs have plummeted to approximately 10 percent of capacity.

The drought threatens not only drinking water supplies but also crucial crops like coconuts and vegetables. The government has committed Rs.4.8 billion from its budget to fund water distribution efforts. Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi informed reporters that the El Niño event, initially expected to peak around November, is now believed to reach its zenith sooner.

the government had expected El Niño to peak around November but now believed it would peak sooner.

— Dammika PatabendiSri Lanka's Minister of Environment explaining the anticipated timeline of the El Niño event.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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