Photos Lalith Perera
By Sarah Hannan
While some areas are receiving above-average rainfall, we cannot ignore the fact that some areas have not received sufficient rain to replenish the groundwater levels. Some regions are now facing water scarcity, especially for the purposes of drinking and cooking. Furthermore, the water levels in reservoirs located in the Intermediate Zone are still receding as there has not been sufficient rainfall in several catchment areas.
Ruins of temples, shrines, and villages that were inundated following the construction of these reservoirs are very visible to the eye. People from the area go to offer flowers to deities and they have also taken up the task of covering Buddha statues with saffron cloths as a mark of respect.
During our recent visit to the Eastern Province, it was clear that only some farmers had been able to yield their harvest as they followed instructions given by the Department of Agrarian Development and selected better suited agri seeds to cultivate.
“At the end of the harvesting season, we generally experience some rain. But this time, we had to be careful about how much water we used for cultivation purposes. Our homes do not have pipe-borne water; hence, about five families depend on a well which was dug in our backyard. This well is not that deep. So when there is a drought, that water too is insufficient,” Sivaprakashan Rishiharan from Katpakerni stated.
When we inquired about the present water level of the well, Rishiharan escorted us to the well situated just 15 feet away from his house. Its depth was no more than 13 feet, and when asked why they could not dig the well deeper, Rishiharan stated the people that headed the project did not have sufficient funds to do so.
“As you can see, we cannot use this water for drinking or cooking. We only use this to bathe, wash clothes, and wash pots and pans. Since the well doesn’t replenish at the speed we require, we had to dig our own well. That well is located just over a kilometre away from the reservoir,” Rishiharan’s wife Kalarani stated.
We then inquired as to whether the Provincial Council supplies drinking water to them. “Water distribution does not take place in our area. The people in the city do not feel the scarcity of water since they have pipe-borne water. We have to find ways to supply ourselves with water for our domestic needs,” Kalarani added.
Upon making our way to the aforementioned well dug near the reservoir, we observed that the well was at least 20 feet deep, yet the quality of water was not great.
“We do not have the equipment to dig deeper wells. Once the water in this well runs out, we have to look for another water source. Hopefully, rainfall improves and we do not have to go to that extent,” Rishiharan added.
Rainfall and water management
Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Management Centre Director and Agro-climatology and Climate Change Division Head Dr. B.V.R. Punyawardena stated that the weather forecast for July-September indicated a high probability of receiving below-average rainfall in most parts of the country.
“While the southwestern region of the country will receive higher rainfall this season, areas in the northern, northeastern, north central, and central parts of the country will receive below-average rainfall.”
He further noted that above-average rainfall is likely to occur in the Uva Province and in the Hambantota District during this time period. The general climatology for this period is predicted to be dry, warm, and desiccating windy weather conditions.
However, the volume of water in major and minor tanks in Sri Lanka still remains below 50%, with only Kotmale, Bowatenna, Dambulu Oya, and Minneriya schemes of the Mahaweli system recording volumes above the 50% mark. Dr. Punyawardena said that the Department of Irrigation was following strict water issuing schedules to provide irrigation water for the rest of the yala season.
“When we issue water for the Mahaweli scheme, our first priority is to provide clean drinking water to its residents. We have also instructed the farmers to select paddy varieties that would return a yield within three to three-and-a-half months, and they should plough the fields within two weeks. Then, if there is a delay, they can at least select a paddy variety that requires a three-month cultivation cycle,” Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Water Management Secretariat Director Thilaka Samaratunga stated.
Samaratunga further added that this year, for the yala season, the Mahaweli scheme had first issued water in March and the last issuance of water would be in September. “For this season, a total of 174,597 hectares of land will be utilised by the Mahaweli sector, out of which a succession of 91% is forecasted.”
Climate resilient agriculture
With the continuously shifting weather patterns and change in rainfall in various parts of the country, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Development, and Department of Irrigation have set up a project management unit at the Ministry of Agriculture. This unit looks into initiating the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) to address challenges in building synergies among climate change mitigation, adaptation, and food security – which are closely related with agriculture – and minimising their potential negative trade-offs.
The Government of Sri Lanka received a $ 125 million credit facility for CSIAP through the World Bank in April this year to improve the resilience and productivity of agriculture for more than 470,000 small farmers in the selected areas.
The project will support farmers who are vulnerable to climate change, and especially to climate-induced extreme events such as droughts and floods. “The programme will assist farming communities increase the economic value of their produce and will focus on increasing production and crop productivity through improved irrigations systems and farmers’ adoption of climate-resilient technologies; diversify from food grains into climate-adaptive, higher-value agriculture; and improve post-harvest management, value addition, and marketing.”
The 11 selected CSIAP hotspot areas cover 18 sub-watersheds of nine river basins – Yan Oya, Mandekal Aru, Kala Oya, Menik Ganga, Per Aru, Kal Aru, Maduru Oya, Mundeni Aru, and Karanda Oya – in 11 Dry Zone districts – Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Hambantota, Kilinochchi, Kurunegala, Monaragala, Mullaitivu, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara – covering six provinces – Northern, Eastern, North Western, North Central, Southern, and Uva Provinces.
Earth-moving rains
Over the past week, the Wet Zone seemed to receive plenty of rain, with some areas receiving rainfall of over 250 mm. With that, alerts were issued on the rising river water levels, alerting residents to move to safe grounds in the Ratnapura District. Meanwhile, landslide warnings were issued in the Ratnapura, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Kegalle Districts.
The National Building and Research Organisation (NBRO) issues prior warnings to these areas if rainfall exceeds 75 mm in the identified risk areas. Residences or business premises that are built in areas prone to landslides are notified to evacuate when the first signs of a landslide begin to take shape.
The death that was reported from the Ambagamuwa DS Division in the Nuwara Eliya District was one such incident where the resident had ignored the warning issued by the NBRO and Grama Niladhari.
As of 25 July, the drought prevails across 17 districts in five provinces with a total of 613,633 persons affected.
District Secretariat divisions in Arachchikattuwa in the Puttalam District and Polgahawela in the Kurunegala District had no rain since January this year.
Number of persons affected
The increased speed of rain and the South West Monsoon that set in on 14 July still prevails with over 14,000 persons affected by strong winds, flooding, and landslide activities across all nine provinces in 17 districts, and caused nine deaths.
Flood: 1,492
Lightning
Trees fallen: 155
Fire: 13
Heavy rain: 1,824
The Ministry of State Administration, Disaster Management, and Rural Economic Affairs confirmed that the sudden change in the climate had affected a total of 13,880 persons, with nine reported dead due to heavy rains, floods, strong winds, and landslides.
Due to the imminent danger, 56 families have been relocated to safe places set up in temples in the area, and the Ministry stated that 25 houses were completely destroyed while 3,169 houses were partially damaged.
While some areas are receiving above-average rainfall, we cannot ignore the fact that some areas have not received sufficient rain to replenish the groundwater levels. Some regions are now facing water scarcity, especially for the purposes of drinking and cooking. Furthermore, the water levels in reservoirs located in the Intermediate Zone are still receding as there has not been sufficient rainfall in several catchment areas.
Ruins of temples, shrines, and villages that were inundated following the construction of these reservoirs are very visible to the eye. People from the area go to offer flowers to deities and they have also taken up the task of covering Buddha statues with saffron cloths as a mark of respect.
During our recent visit to the Eastern Province, it was clear that only some farmers had been able to yield their harvest as they followed instructions given by the Department of Agrarian Development and selected better suited agri seeds to cultivate.
“At the end of the harvesting season, we generally experience some rain. But this time, we had to be careful about how much water we used for cultivation purposes. Our homes do not have pipe-borne water; hence, about five families depend on a well which was dug in our backyard. This well is not that deep. So when there is a drought, that water too is insufficient,” Sivaprakashan Rishiharan from Katpakerni stated.
When we inquired about the present water level of the well, Rishiharan escorted us to the well situated just 15 feet away from his house. Its depth was no more than 13 feet, and when asked why they could not dig the well deeper, Rishiharan stated the people that headed the project did not have sufficient funds to do so.
“As you can see, we cannot use this water for drinking or cooking. We only use this to bathe, wash clothes, and wash pots and pans. Since the well doesn’t replenish at the speed we require, we had to dig our own well. That well is located just over a kilometre away from the reservoir,” Rishiharan’s wife Kalarani stated.
We then inquired as to whether the Provincial Council supplies drinking water to them. “Water distribution does not take place in our area. The people in the city do not feel the scarcity of water since they have pipe-borne water. We have to find ways to supply ourselves with water for our domestic needs,” Kalarani added.
Upon making our way to the aforementioned well dug near the reservoir, we observed that the well was at least 20 feet deep, yet the quality of water was not great.
“We do not have the equipment to dig deeper wells. Once the water in this well runs out, we have to look for another water source. Hopefully, rainfall improves and we do not have to go to that extent,” Rishiharan added.
Rainfall and water management
Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Management Centre Director and Agro-climatology and Climate Change Division Head Dr. B.V.R. Punyawardena stated that the weather forecast for July-September indicated a high probability of receiving below-average rainfall in most parts of the country.
“While the southwestern region of the country will receive higher rainfall this season, areas in the northern, northeastern, north central, and central parts of the country will receive below-average rainfall.”
He further noted that above-average rainfall is likely to occur in the Uva Province and in the Hambantota District during this time period. The general climatology for this period is predicted to be dry, warm, and desiccating windy weather conditions.
However, the volume of water in major and minor tanks in Sri Lanka still remains below 50%, with only Kotmale, Bowatenna, Dambulu Oya, and Minneriya schemes of the Mahaweli system recording volumes above the 50% mark. Dr. Punyawardena said that the Department of Irrigation was following strict water issuing schedules to provide irrigation water for the rest of the yala season.
“When we issue water for the Mahaweli scheme, our first priority is to provide clean drinking water to its residents. We have also instructed the farmers to select paddy varieties that would return a yield within three to three-and-a-half months, and they should plough the fields within two weeks. Then, if there is a delay, they can at least select a paddy variety that requires a three-month cultivation cycle,” Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Water Management Secretariat Director Thilaka Samaratunga stated.
Samaratunga further added that this year, for the yala season, the Mahaweli scheme had first issued water in March and the last issuance of water would be in September. “For this season, a total of 174,597 hectares of land will be utilised by the Mahaweli sector, out of which a succession of 91% is forecasted.”
Climate resilient agriculture
With the continuously shifting weather patterns and change in rainfall in various parts of the country, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Development, and Department of Irrigation have set up a project management unit at the Ministry of Agriculture. This unit looks into initiating the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) to address challenges in building synergies among climate change mitigation, adaptation, and food security – which are closely related with agriculture – and minimising their potential negative trade-offs.
The Government of Sri Lanka received a $ 125 million credit facility for CSIAP through the World Bank in April this year to improve the resilience and productivity of agriculture for more than 470,000 small farmers in the selected areas.
The project will support farmers who are vulnerable to climate change, and especially to climate-induced extreme events such as droughts and floods. “The programme will assist farming communities increase the economic value of their produce and will focus on increasing production and crop productivity through improved irrigations systems and farmers’ adoption of climate-resilient technologies; diversify from food grains into climate-adaptive, higher-value agriculture; and improve post-harvest management, value addition, and marketing.”
The 11 selected CSIAP hotspot areas cover 18 sub-watersheds of nine river basins – Yan Oya, Mandekal Aru, Kala Oya, Menik Ganga, Per Aru, Kal Aru, Maduru Oya, Mundeni Aru, and Karanda Oya – in 11 Dry Zone districts – Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Hambantota, Kilinochchi, Kurunegala, Monaragala, Mullaitivu, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara – covering six provinces – Northern, Eastern, North Western, North Central, Southern, and Uva Provinces.
Earth-moving rains
Over the past week, the Wet Zone seemed to receive plenty of rain, with some areas receiving rainfall of over 250 mm. With that, alerts were issued on the rising river water levels, alerting residents to move to safe grounds in the Ratnapura District. Meanwhile, landslide warnings were issued in the Ratnapura, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Kegalle Districts.
The National Building and Research Organisation (NBRO) issues prior warnings to these areas if rainfall exceeds 75 mm in the identified risk areas. Residences or business premises that are built in areas prone to landslides are notified to evacuate when the first signs of a landslide begin to take shape.
The death that was reported from the Ambagamuwa DS Division in the Nuwara Eliya District was one such incident where the resident had ignored the warning issued by the NBRO and Grama Niladhari.
As of 25 July, the drought prevails across 17 districts in five provinces with a total of 613,633 persons affected.
District Secretariat divisions in Arachchikattuwa in the Puttalam District and Polgahawela in the Kurunegala District had no rain since January this year.
Number of persons affected
The increased speed of rain and the South West Monsoon that set in on 14 July still prevails with over 14,000 persons affected by strong winds, flooding, and landslide activities across all nine provinces in 17 districts, and caused nine deaths.
Flood: 1,492
Lightning
Trees fallen: 155
Fire: 13
Heavy rain: 1,824
The Ministry of State Administration, Disaster Management, and Rural Economic Affairs confirmed that the sudden change in the climate had affected a total of 13,880 persons, with nine reported dead due to heavy rains, floods, strong winds, and landslides.
Due to the imminent danger, 56 families have been relocated to safe places set up in temples in the area, and the Ministry stated that 25 houses were completely destroyed while 3,169 houses were partially damaged.
Rs. 27 million allocated for repairs
“The compensation process will commence as soon as we have assessed the damages. For the families of the deceased persons, the Government has allocated Rs. 250,000 in compensation per death, and all affected families immediately received a compensation of Rs. 15,000 each. A sum of Rs. 27 million is allocated to repair the damaged houses after the damages have been assessed,” Minister of State Administration, Disaster Management, and Rural Economic Affairs Ranjith Madduma Bandara stated.
With the country reporting rainfall from several regions, the Disaster Management Centre informed that drought conditions have somewhat receded and rainfall around the catchment areas of the Upper Kotmale Reservoir, Kukule River, Laxapana Reservoir, Canyon Reservoir, and Northern Reservoir have spiked.
Over the past six months, the Government has paid a sum of Rs. 1.5 billion to cover the damages incurred owing to natural disasters.