SARLAHI: Residents of the northern part of Sarlahi district have been hit hard recently after the long dry spell dried up almost all water sources in the area. Wells, hand pumps and ponds are drying up day by day. KP Paudel, a local of Hariwan VDC, said that even the deepest of wells in the area were without a single drop of water. "The tube wells too have stopped pumping water," he added. Water scarcity has hit nine VDCs, including Parawanipur, Kalinjor, Atrouli and Hariwan. "A total of around 200 tube wells, wells and natural ponds of the area have gone dry this year alone," said Dipak Ranabhat, chairman of the Kamaiya Drinking Water Users Committee. Hem Gautam, a resident of Parawanipur, informed that they could spot thirsty wild animals near the village as all water sources of the forest had gone dry. "The domestic animals we keep are also suffering due to the water crisis," he added. He informed that people were compelled to walk for hours in search of water as the main water source located at Kanjirowa river had gone dry. Paddy plantation has also been badly affected due to decreasing water level in the Bagmati and Manuswara irrigation canals.