Lanka may turn to seawater supply as severe El Niño looms

Sri Lanka may even have to consider distributing purified seawater for drinking purposes if the forecast El Niño weather anomaly intensifies as predicted, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has warned. At a media briefing on Wednesday, Additional Secretary K.G.B. Dharmatilaka said the anticipated El Niño event could reach unprecedented severity, threatening to deplete the country’s primary water sources. He stressed the need for urgent preparedness measures, noting that the National Disaster Services Centre currently has only a limited number of water bowsers available for emergency relief operations. Dharmatilaka cautioned that existing resources may not be sufficient if a prolonged drought materialises. “This El Niño condition could dry up water sources, leaving no sources to obtain water. We may even have to consider purifying and distributing seawater,” he said. Meanwhile, the United Nations meteorological agency has warned that the world could experience the strongest El Niño event in a decade. The Department of Meteorology has also projected drought conditions in Sri Lanka during July and August, with a sharp decline in rainfall expected. Officials further cautioned that water shortages could disrupt both drinking water supplies and agricultural activities, although heavier rainfall, along with possible tornadoes, may occur later in the year. A return to warmer conditions is expected from January to April. El Niño is a climate phenomenon caused by abnormal warming of Pacific Ocean surface waters, which disrupts global weather patterns and often triggers drought in several regions, including South Asia.