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Parts of southern India facing acute water shortage

With the government able to meet only 40% of the water requirement, millions are depending on water tank trucks in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu because of a shortage caused by drying lakes and depleted groundwater.

Indiand stand in queues to fill vessels filled with drinking water from a water tanker in Chennai, capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Millions of people are turning to water tank trucks in the state as house and hotel taps run dry in an acute water shortage caused by drying lakes and depleted groundwater. Some private companies have asked employees to work from home and several restaurants are closing early and even considering stopping lunch meals if the water scarcity aggravates. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)
Indiand stand in queues to fill vessels filled with drinking water from a water tanker in Chennai, capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Millions of people are turning to water tank trucks in the state as house and hotel taps run dry in an acute water shortage caused by drying lakes and depleted groundwater. Some private companies have asked employees to work from home and several restaurants are closing early and even considering stopping lunch meals if the water scarcity aggravates. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)Read moreR. Parthibhan / AP
    by Associated Press, The Associated Press
    Published 

NEW DELHI (AP) — With the government able to meet only 40% of the water requirement, millions are depending on water tank trucks in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu because of an acute shortage caused by drying lakes and depleted groundwater.

Sekhar Raghvan, a water expert, says taps are running dry, but meteorologists expect rain this week and people are pinning their hopes on that.

Raghvan said Monday that it rained for a while in the state two weeks ago, but not enough to replenish water bodies.

Gauri Shankar, a hotel general manager, said he was running his hotel in Chennai, the state capital, by hiring two tank trucks to bring water every day.

The state government says the drought followed a 62% shortfall in monsoon rains last year compared to 2017.