When the decades-long civil war that forced Samantha Pushpakumara from his village in north-central Sri Lanka ended, he was finally able to return home to a life of farming that he thought would give his family a stable future.
asserted
he → force → future
That was until the rains didn’t come.
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rains → come → ?
Sri Lanka has been mired in drought for months, leading to severe water shortages that have left reservoirs dry and strained farming communities that depend on seasonal monsoons.
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that → mire → monsoons
Making matters worse, temperatures in many parts of the country have been higher than usual and high humidity has exacerbated the heat stress.
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humidity → make → stress
“We feel like we are being hit from every side,” Pushpakumara said.
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Pushpakumara → feel → side
“If there is no water and we have to give up farming, we will have nothing left to live on.”
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we → be → nothing
Climate experts say the lack of rain is likely due in part to a strong El Niño — a natural temporary warming of ocean waters that shifts weather patterns across the globe — combined with warmer temperatures driven partly by human-caused climate change.
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that → say → change
Sri Lanka receives rain from two main monsoon systems.
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Lanka → receive → systems
The southwest monsoon, which runs roughly from May to September, normally supplies up to 30% of the country’s annual rainfall, but this year there has been little rainfall through late September.
uncertain
which → run → September
“We cannot say exactly whether it’s due to climate change, since we need more evidence.
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we → say → evidence
But these kinds of events are increasing in recent years,” said Gayana Krishanthi Hendawitharana, a climate scientist at Sri Lanka’s weather department.
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Hendawitharana → increase → department
Recent showers have brought some relief to parts of the island.
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showers → bring → island
However, climate experts say scattered rain will not be enough to restore reservoirs and groundwater after months of dryness.
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rain → say → dryness
The country’s 74 reservoirs have hovered around one-third full in recent weeks, resulting in water rationing in many parts of the island.
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reservoirs → hover → island
And it isn’t only humans feeling the impact.
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it → feel → impact
The drought has also diminished water and food sources for wildlife in the country’s forests.
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drought → diminish → forests
Authorities are using water tankers and underground pipes to replenish watering holes inside some wildlife reserves.
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Authorities → use → reserves
Fields without water and a landscape transformed
In Medirigiriya, one of the most affected areas, rice farming is central to life.
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farming → transform → life
Roads run between villages and broad paddy fields, while small vegetable plots sit beside homes.
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plots → run → homes
During wetter years, rain fills irrigation tanks, and water stored there is released through the cultivation seasons.
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water → fill → seasons
This year, much of that landscape has been transformed.
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much → transform → landscape
Vegetable gardens that once provided food and income have withered.
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that → provide → food
Across exposed tank beds, cattle search for fodder.
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cattle → expose → fodder
In villages where household wells have failed, residents wait outside their homes with plastic barrels, bottles and jerrycans for water deliveries that are supplied for free by the Sri Lankan government and charities.
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that → fail → government
On a recent day, a truck fitted with a large black tank pulled up along a dirt road, and families gathered around it with their containers.
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families → fit → containers
For Indika Nuwankumara, a father of three, the drought has driven him into huge debt.
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drought → drive → debt
He said he’s struggling to repay a $1,500 loan he had taken for farming.
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he → say → farming
Without rain for four months, the rice, okra and eggplant he planted across his 8-acre (3.2-hectare) field have failed.
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he → plant → field
“I made a loss and am now struggling to repay the loan,” he said.
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I → make → loan
Nuwankumara said the intense heat has also made it harder to work in the fields.
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it → say → fields
“The daytime heat is unbearable,” he said.
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he → say → ?
“Even using an electric fan inside our houses is not helpful because it blows warm air.”
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it → use → air
Wildlife gathers around shrinking pools
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Wildlife → gather → pools
The search for water is also playing out inside Sri Lanka’s wildlife reserves such as Yala National Park in southeastern Sri Lanka.
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search → play → Lanka
Elephants, deer, water buffaloes, crocodiles and many types of birds including peacocks and cranes are among the wildlife that normally frequent watering holes to drink or cool off from the searing heat.
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that → include → heat
While the Menik River that supplies most of the 1,000-square-kilometer (386-square-mile) park still has flowing water, sections of the park have natural and artificial ponds that the animals drink from.
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animals → supply → that
Most of these have dried up.
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Most → dry → these
Wildlife officials say animals are suffering dehydration and heat stress.
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animals → say → dehydration
In the dry landscape on a recent day, spotted deer bent their heads toward muddy pools.
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deer → bend → pools
Elephants crossed parched ground and stood beside what remained of watering holes.
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what → cross → holes
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
