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Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst droughts in decades, with severe water shortages affecting farming communities across the country.
Farmer A.M. Pathmasena, 48, from Ampara district, said his well has become so dry that it barely provides enough water for his family and two cows.
Some farming districts have recorded rainfall deficits of 85% to 100% below long-term averages, while water levels in hundreds of irrigation tanks have fallen to around 10%, according to the government.
Authorities have arranged water deliveries for tens of thousands of people. In accessible areas, drinking water is delivered every three to five days, while some remote communities reportedly wait up to 23 days.
The drought has also severely hit farmers’ incomes. Pathmasena said he previously earned about 20,000 Sri Lankan rupees ($60) a month from growing cowpeas, but has lost his crop and now works as a daily-wage labourer.
His son has also shut down a chicken farm because of the extreme heat and water shortages.
The drought has been linked to El Nino-related weather disruption, which can bring drier conditions to parts of Asia.