Total of 117 islands suffer water shortage

Disaster Management Centre has said that 117 islands have reported water shortages this year, as a result of drought in various regions of the country.

MNDF official Mohamed Didi, from Disaster Management Centre’s Emergency Operation Centre, said that from February 2012 till yesterday, requests had been received for 6926.86 tons of water from 117 islands.

Didi said that MNDF had collaborated with Disaster Management Centre and provided 2509.25 tons of water to 86 islands, however 31 islands still remain without water.

He further said that some islands revoked their requests for water following rainfall, but out of the 86 islands which had previously requested for water, seven had reported water shortages for a second time. Efforts to provide them water are currently ongoing.

Most reports of water shortages have been made from Raa, Baa, Haa Alif and Haa Dhaal atolls. Nearly all islands in these atolls are undergoing water shortages.

Disaster Management Centre said that no reports had been received from Laamu, Vaavu and Faafu atolls, and that it is rare that these atolls ever report water shortages.

The fact that 117 islands are suffering from lack of water means that it is a problem for 50 percent of the country. Temperatures rise during the dry months of April and May, resulting in a rise in demand for mineral water. Shops in several islands run out of mineral water during this period.