A woman works the fields among the pagodas in the ancient town of Bagan in Myanmar's Mandalay Region. Severe heat, drought and water scarcity brought on by El Nino could impact villages throughout the country, meteorologists warn. (Photo by AFP)
Myanmar's meteorologists and government officials have warned that the country could face El Nino effect of severe heat, drought and water scarcity this summer.
El Nino hit Myanmar in late 2015 and is anticipated to persist through June. Stronger weather patterns could impact South Asia and Southeast Asia, warns meteorologist Tun Lwin.
"El Nino could affect the dry zone regions of Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing in central Myanmar," Tun Lwin, former director general of Myanmar's Meteorology and Hydrology Department told ucanews.com.
He called on the government to prepare for the worst by securing water, particularly for the healthcare and agriculture sectors.
Scarcity
Some 20 villages in Tharbaung township in the Irrawaddy Delta have faced water shortages since mid-January as their hand-dug wells have dried up.
"The villagers are in need of drinking water … so we are now trying to help villagers by networking with some organizations and local donors," Khin Moe War, a regional member of parliament in Tharbaung township, told ucanews.com on Feb. 15.
Khin Moe War says the annual water shortages villages usually occur later in the year. A shortage in January is atypical and could portend serious trouble in the coming months.
She said village officials were in desperate need of water storage tanks, and have sought funding help from donor agencies and civil society groups.
Myint Sein from Lyaehtaukgone village in Tharbaung Township said that some 1,000 villagers have faced water scarcity since mid-January.
"The stream near the village that has been used for agriculture is also dried up," Myint Sein told ucanews.com.
Villagers in the Irrawaddy Delta traditionally source drinking water from rainwater harvesting, communal water ponds and wells as most villages have no access to piped water.
Ye Min Tun, a farmer from Phyusingone village, said his village also is facing drinking water shortages since their only well dried up last year.
"The government and local civil society groups are yet to come for help," he said.
In the Mandalay Division, local officials said they will be digging additional wells and have made arrangements to truck in water in the two villages most affected by the water shortages.
"Our team has reached out to those two villages and collects the data on how to help the villagers," said Myo Naing Aung, senior official from Mandalay Division's department of Agricultural Planning.
Challenge for new government
The affect from El Nino has presented a new challenge or Myanmar's incoming National League for Democracy(NLD) government.
League officials in Yangon have urged its offices across the country to prepare water tanks in areas vulnerable to water shortages.
"We have initiated on preparatory efforts by giving instructions to NLD offices from the division, district, township and villages so that we can easily be aware of any problem at a grass root level and solve it," said Soe Nyunt, vice chairman of the league's Natural Environmental Conservation Committee.
He also warned that El Nino effect can have a negative impact on healthcare and the country's economic well being so stakeholders need to focus on preparations.
