Here is the brief information about drought, it’s period and it’s consequences.

 

What is Drought?
The term Drought can be expressed in various ways. For a meteorologist, it means deficit rainfall over prolonged period. For a farmer lack of rainfall affecting crops is a drought.

Drought can be anticipated as a consequence of climatic conditions such as high temperatures, low relative humidity over a long period of time where there is not enough water than usually to support animal, plant and human life.

 

Drought years in India:
Here is small statistics about drought years:

  • In 44 years (1921 – 1964) there were only 3 droughts
  • In 23 years (1965 – 1987) there were 10 droughts
  • The 10 drought conditions are strongly related with ENSO condition in Pacific sea.

Here are some more facts:

  • In the last 10 years 2013 was a normal monsoon year (not excess rainfall)
  • 2014 and 2015 was drought year
  • 2016 was a normal rainfall year (not excess rainfall).

 

Drought Classification
Drought is the consequence of a natural reduction in the amount of precipitation that can aggravate the severity of the drought event. So drought is further classified as:

  1. Moderate drought if the rainfall deficit is between 26-50%
  2. Severe drought when the deficit exceeds 50% of the normal.

 

Different types of drought
Different types of droughts are:

  1. Meteorological Drought
  2. Hydrological Drought
  3. Agricultural Drought
  4. Socio-Economic Drought

 

1) What is Meteorological Drought?
As per India Meteorological Department, when the seasonal rainfall received over the area is less than 75% of its long term average value is defined as meteorological drought. This condition is determined by lack of rainfall, dry winds, high temperatures etc.

 

2) What is Hydrological Drought?
Hydrological drought is result of less rainfall there is scarcity of water for farming, energy etc putting stress on water management system. This deficiency of ground water supply in quality and quantity is the effect of meteorological drought.

 

3) What is Agricultural Drought?
Agricultural drought is associated with the lack of moisture in the soil. This affects the growth of crop which causing shortage of vegetables, fruits and foodgrains.

 

4) What is Socio-Economic Drought?
Socio Economic drought is the result of meteorological, agricultural and hydrological drought. Socio Economic drought takes long time to recover.

 

How India Meteorological Department declares a year as a Drought Year?
In our country, a year is considered to be a Drought Year in case the area affected by moderate and severe drought,

  • either individually or together, is 20-40% of the total area of the country
  • seasonal rainfall deficiency during south-west monsoon season for the country as a whole is at least 10% or more.
  • when the spatial coverage of drought is more than 40% it will be called as All India Severe Drought Year.

 

Consequence of Severe Drought:

  1. Acute shortage of water in the region affects the life of the people resulting iin migration, unemployment.
  2. The condition become worse due to excess demands of goods and growing population putting stress on the little availability of water.
  3. Damage To Natural Vegetation and Various Ecosystems
  4. Increased Air And Water Pollution

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