UCA News
Contribute

Severe drought cripples Sri Lanka

Lack of rain ravages rice harvest and reduces drinking water for poor villagers
Severe drought cripples Sri Lanka

A partially dried up irrigation reservoir in the southern district of Yala. Several parts of the country are facing a severe drought. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodokara) 

Published: August 04, 2017 10:02 AM GMT
Updated: August 04, 2017 10:02 AM GMT

There is widespread hardship across a swathe of Sri Lanka caused by drastically reduced rainfall during three consecutive paddy rice seasons.

Yields have been cut by 45 per cent in the island nation’s worst drought for 40 years.

Many water sources have dried up and farm animals are dying.

Impacts include environmental damage, food price hikes, reduced hydro-power production and lower employment in downstream food processing. There are fears that already high suicide rates will rise.

And the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has raised the specter of widespread hunger.

The army has been distributing drinking water and dry rations in 18 districts where more than one million people have been seriously affected.

Overall, the drought is impacting directly in all but two of Sri Lanka's 25 districts.

Critics charge that the official response has been too little and too slow in coming as conditions have worsened during the past 10 months.

In the country’s northwest, Bishop Kingsley Swamipillai of Mannar, told ucanews.com that government authorities were "clueless" in responding.

Northern farmers in Sri Lanka’s ancient capital, Anuradhapura, are being supplied drinking water by Catholic schools in the capital, Colombo. Aid is being distributed to  Catholics as well as others in need, said Bishop Norbert Andradi of Anuradhapura.

Many farmers simply have no paddy left to cultivate, he added.

At Sri Lanka’s revered Our Lady of Madhu national shrine, there are prayers that rain will come. 

Caritas Colombo is looking for assistance from its international partners to help obtain and distribute drinking water.

Caritas has already provided bottled drinking water in some drought-impacted areas.

And the Korean government has handed over eight vehicles mounted with water bowsers.

However, Caritas Programme Co-coordinator Devendrarajah Kanakaratnam said that relief efforts were primarily a government responsibility.

The drought has deprived W.D. Upulshantha and his family, from Padaviya in Anuradhapura, of their only source of income — paddy.

His children have less food to take to school and are unable to attend extra classes.

Upulshantha said thousands of farmers were allowing their livestock to roam freely in order to find food. However, there were cases of young animals dying from a lack of nutrition.

"We are helpless and are trying to earn a living by searching for odd jobs to make ends meet for the day," Upulshantha said.

Help UCA News to be independent
Dear reader,
Lent is the season during which catechumens make their final preparations to be welcomed into the Church.
Each year during Lent, UCA News presents the stories of people who will join the Church in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is their Lord. The stories of how women and men who will be baptized came to believe in Christ are inspirations for all of us as we prepare to celebrate the Church's chief feast.
Help us with your donations to bring such stories of faith that make a difference in the Church and society.
A small contribution of US$5 will support us continue our mission…
William J. Grimm
Publisher
UCA News
Asian Bishops
Latest News
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia