Bajura, April 13 Water sources, which never dried up before, have gone dry at Dhimgaun of Himali Rural Municipality this year, severely affecting around 400 residents in 15 villages. Drying up of water sources triggered by prolonged drought has adversely affected Swamikartik, Pandabgufa, Himali Rural Municipality and Budhinanda Municipality. Some families have started migrating to other places due to water crisis. No matter how prolonged the drought was and how dry the weather remained some of the water sources in the rural municipality had never dried before. “But, the water sources have gone dry this year,” said Gorakh Bahadur Sarki. Drying water sources has left around 400 locals reeling under acute shortage of water at Dhimgaun. Locals are forced to walk for an hour to fetch drinking water. The prolonged drought has led to the drying up of a dozen water sources in the village for the first time this year. Rural Municipality Chair Govind Bahadur Malla said 13 water sources had dried up in Himali Rural Municipality. According to Malla, locals of 15 villages are facing acute shortage of water. Senior citizens say that the prolonged drought that has plagued Bajura for the past four years, is the biggest drought after the one in 1965. Local Narmada Jaishi said 300 families in Swamikartik Rural Municipality were forced to walk a long distance to fetch water from the Karnali River. Acting executive at the rural municipality said water crisis had hit locals very hard. “If this situation continues, many families will be displaced from the village,” said Jaishi. Helvetas Nepal Bajura Programme Coordinator Akkal Shah said that water sources were drying up and the water level was receding in the rivers. Shah attributed deforestation and prolonged drought to water sources drying up.