By Dwayne Ferreira.
El Niño dry weather has affected 154,167 people across eight Sri Lankan districts, with emergency drinking-water distribution continuing.
COLOMBO – More than 154,000 people across eight districts have been affected by prolonged dry weather linked to the El Niño phenomenon, with authorities continuing emergency drinking-water distribution in several areas.
The National Disaster Relief Services Centre said 154,167 people belonging to 47,368 families have been affected.
The impacted districts are Ampara, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Matale, Monaragala, Polonnaruwa and Ratnapura.
Monaragala has recorded the highest number of affected residents, with 42,429 people experiencing the effects of the dry conditions.
Drinking water supplied to more than 132,000 people
Prageeth Danansooriya, Senior Assistant Secretary and Media Spokesperson for the National Disaster Relief Services Centre, said drinking-water distribution was continuing without interruption.
Authorities are presently supplying water to 132,748 people belonging to 40,945 families in affected districts.
The prolonged dry spell has increased pressure on household water supplies, agriculture and local water sources in several parts of the country.
El Niño is associated with periodic changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures that can significantly alter rainfall and weather patterns worldwide.
Sri Lanka has experienced increasingly variable weather conditions in recent years, ranging from intense rainfall and flooding to extended dry periods.
Disaster-management authorities are expected to continue monitoring reservoir levels, drinking-water availability and conditions in vulnerable communities as the dry weather persists.
