La Niña slår til i Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, 12 January 2011 (IRIN): Ongoing storms have dumped more rain in one eastern district of Sri Lanka than witnessed in a century, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

Nationwide, storms have hit some two million people in the past seven months and hastened climate adaptation plans already under way, according to the government.

National climate scientist WL Sumathipala said recent storm activity had sped up the timetable to help residents cope with changing weather. “We have looked at weather patterns for a long period of time and it is only now that we are ready to make scientifically supported statements about climate change.”

Rupa Kumar Kolli, Chief of the World Climate Applications and Services Division at the Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization, said recent storm activity seen in Sri Lanka can be explained by the La Niña weather phenomenon, which is caused by periodic changes in the Pacific Ocean.

“There is an established La Niña, which is at its peak at the moment. The phenomenon is associated with stronger than normal monsoons over South Asia.”

Continuous rains since 26 December have caused rock slides and displacement, mostly in northern and eastern parts of the country, and closed schools. As of 11 January, about 33.330 families have been displaced to 351 relocation centres.

Some 300 km east of the capital, Colombo, Batticaloa District – which set the century’s rainfall record – accounts for almost half of those families, according to DMC.

Here, some 200 reservoirs have completely washed away, with most other tanks spilling over, based on early government surveys.

The Minister of Disaster Management, Rishard Bathiudeen, told IRIN the Environment Ministry was considering adaptation strategies. “We are now being warned by scientists that climate change is not only real but Sri Lanka needs to be well prepared. We do not want to wait till the people become climate refugees as is happening in other parts of the world.”