The Disaster Management Centre reports that dry weather conditions linked to the El Niño phenomenon have impacted more than 81,000 people across seven districts, prompting authorities to distribute drinking water to affected communities.
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has confirmed that seven districts throughout Sri Lanka are experiencing the effects of prolonged dry conditions associated with the El Niño weather pattern. The impact extends across 23 Divisional Secretariat divisions, affecting a total of 81,865 individuals from 25,628 households.
In response to the crisis, the DMC has initiated a drinking water distribution programme targeting 20 Divisional Secretariat divisions impacted by the drought. Through this intervention, authorities have provided water supplies to 72,153 people representing 23,048 families.
Monaragala District has received the largest allocation of distributed water, with supplies reaching 33,023 people from 10,264 families across seven Divisional Secretariat divisions. The Batticaloa District has benefited from the second-largest distribution, covering 28,523 people from 9,547 families across eight divisions. Meanwhile, Ampara District received assistance for 7,882 individuals from 2,537 families across two Divisional Secretariat divisions.
The DMC's coordinated response demonstrates ongoing efforts to mitigate the humanitarian impact of the El Niño phenomenon on drought-affected regions, with water distribution serving as an immediate relief measure for vulnerable populations.
