Sri Lankan Air Force flies Buddhist monks to pray for rain amid severe drought

Sri Lanka's Air Force deployed a Y-12 fixed-wing aircraft on Saturday night to transport three Buddhist monks over regions suffering from an intense drought. While airborne, the monks recited prayers and scattered holy water from five-litre plastic bottles, a ritual intended to invoke rain. Officials described the flight as a compassionate gesture as the nation grapples with the worst El Nino impact in recent memory.

The meteorology department cautions that while heavy downpours are expected from late September to December, they may be followed by another prolonged dry period early next year. Drought conditions have already led to the closure of two blocks in Yala National Park and left water reservoirs, including those feeding hydroelectric plants, at roughly 50 % of capacity. The government has previously held religious services to seek divine assistance when water supplies dwindle.