Sri Lanka Expects Heavy Rains, Landslides From Strongest El Niño in 75 Years

Science

Read the latest news and analysis

Sri Lanka Expects Heavy Rains, Landslides From Strongest El Niño in 75 Years

Published Thursday, 20th August 2026 4:50 PM

PROBABILITY : There was a high probability of getting the strongest El Nino in 75 year. In Sri Lanka El Nino tended to make wet seasons wetter and dry seasons dryer

MONETABRIEF - Sri Lanka is likely to get heavy rains from the combined effects of what could be the strongest El Niño in 75 years and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole after next month, officials said.

Storage in Sri Lanka's major reservoirs in the Mahaweli, Kelani, Walawe, Maduru Oya basins was 54 percent, Director of Sri Lanka's Water Management Secretariat Nilantha Dhanapala said.

Farmers are urged to start their main (Maha) paddy cultivation from October 01 to 15 "without any fear," Dhanapala said.

Reservoirs under the Department of Irrigation which were mainly in dry zone, were down to 36 percent, but they would also be released for cultivation.

Higher than average rainfall was expected after September until December, due to the combined effect of El Niño and Indian Ocean dipole phenomena, Ajith Wijemannage, Director General of Meteorology said.

But the annual dry period from February to April could be drier than usual and also hotter, he said.

Different countries were affected in different ways from El Nino. The phenomenon tended to make Sri Lanka's dry periods worse and wet periods wetter.

But it also interacted with regional phenomena like the Indian Ocean Dipole and more localized weather event, Wijemannage said.

There was a high probability that this year's El Nino could be the strongest since 1950.

At the moment, the dry period that comes after the end of the South West monsoon was also extremely dry for some areas in the North Western and Eastern provinces.

Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi said drinking water was being distributed through bowsers to people in those areas.

Farmers who were engaged in rainfed cultivation outside of the main irrigation systems, were seeing crop damage, he said.

People without drinking water could communicate their needs to the local Grama Sevaka or the District Secretary, Senior Assistant Secretary D A P Danansooriya of the National Disaster Relief Services Centre said.

The Department of Wildlife said Yala and some National Parks water holes were being filled periodically to help wildlife. The department had access to bowsers and solar power driven pumps to supply water.

There was danger of wildfires at the moment and the Department Forests was clearing both sides of footpaths of underbrush to reduce fire risks.

There was a tendency of some hunters to set fire to hilltops to shoot wildlife that ran away and officials urged people to refrain from such activities. (Colombo/Aug20/2026)