The vulnerability of ever-growing populations in isolated regions was exposed at the weekend by an accident that left Malé, capital of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, without water.
Neighbouring India has responded to urgent pleas for help from Malé and begun sending hundreds of tonnes of drinking water both by military transport aircraft and by ship to supply the city. China and Sri Lanka quickly followed suit. Delhi also sent spare parts and engineers to help with repairs.
The crisis began when a fire damaged cables and controls at Malé’s only desalination plant, leaving 100,000 inhabitants, about a third of the country’s population, without water.
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