Officials stated Tuesday that Lunglei, the second-largest town in Mizoram after Aizawl, is experiencing a worsening water crisis as its main water supplies continue to run out as a result of an abnormally protracted dry season. The municipality of over 80,000 people has been dealing with severe water shortages since early March, according to Zohmingliana, the superintending engineer of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department. When the Tlawng River, Lunglei’s main source of water, started to quickly dry up in April due to a lack of rainfall, the situation became much worse.
The issue has been made worse by the total drying up of the Pialthleng stream, another important source. “The primary cause of the current shortage is the lack of rainfall since January,” an official continued. Only 1.5 million liters of water per day (MLD) are now being taken from the Tlawng River, despite the town’s 3.5 MLD needs. According to Zohmingliana, pumping hours have decreased to 9–13 hours per day from the typical 24-hour period under normal circumstances.
Residents in Lunglei, Philippines, are facing water shortages due to a decline in government-distributed water supply. Over 90 water sources, including borewells, streams, rivers, and traditional waterholes called ‘Tuikhur’, are being used. The government is addressing the crisis by transporting water from streams and chlorinating sources. However, the situation may worsen if rains don’t arrive soon. A concrete gravity dam is being constructed to prevent future shortages.
