4.

DROUGHTS

4.1 INTRODUCTION

Droughts are one of the deadly environmental hazards. In short droughts

can be said as shortage of water in a particular region and duration, causing
extensive damage to crops, agriculture, natural vegetable, tree, plants etc.
and adversely affecting the environment and natural water resources.
Hence, causing loss of human and animal life, creating economic and
social problems and causing the environmental and ecological imbalance.
Drought is a recurring feature of the climate in most parts of the world.
India is amongst the countries that are most prone to droughts at frequent
interval. A drought can last for months or years, or may be declared after
as few as 15 days

4.2 DEFINITION AND TYPES OF DROUGHTS

It is difficult to define a drought disaster being a complex phenomenon.

The meaning and prescription of drought varies from one country/region
to another and one group of people to another. For example, in Egypt, any
year in which the river Nile does not flood is called as drought irrespective
of rainfall or no rainfall; in Bali (Indonesia), a period of six days without
rain is drought; in Libya, if two years’ period is without rainfall is drought.
However, in Indian context, failure of monsoonal rainfall in India or
adjacent country may lead to drought.

Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) defines the drought as a situation

occurring in any area when the mean annual rainfall is less than 75% of
normal rainfall. Accordingly, the drought has been categorized as severe
drought and moderate drought.

Severe drought is the situation occur when deficiency of rainfall is more

than 50% of normal rainfall.

Moderate drought is the situation occur when the deficiency of rainfall is

25-50% of normal rainfall.

Further, on the basis of its effect the drought can be classified as

 Agricultural drought
 Meteorological drought
 Hydrological drought
 Socio-economic drought

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1 Prof. B.P.Suneja
Agricultural drought is a situation arises when soil moisture and rainfall
are inadequate during the growing season of crop (Kharif crop) that can
adversely affect the growth from sowing to the harvesting.

Meteorological drought is a situation arises when there is a significant

decrease in rainfall over a wide area.

Hydrological drought is a cumulative effect of Meteorological drought if

it prolongs for a long period and adversely affecting the natural water
resources like, lakes, rivers, reservoirs and even ground water.

Socio-economic drought This type of drought occurs when supply of

essential goods and services including water, food and electric power falls
short of minimum demand affecting the people adversely. This type of
drought is caused more by socio-economic factors like, restrictions on food
supply, poor farming practices, breakdown of infrastructures, or a failed
economy of the Government.

4.3 SEVERITY OF DROUGHT DISASTER & ITS HAZARDOUS EFFECTS

Severity of drought disaster and its hazardous effects depends upon the
following factors:
a. Duration of dry condition leading to drought
b. Degree of deficiency of moisture contents
c. Degree of drought vulnerability and risk in the affected area
d. Size of affected area

Drought has also been considered as largely man-made due to intervention

in nature by humans like, desertification, deforestation, global warming,
soil erosion, diverting the natural flow of water etc.

World-wide the drought prone countries are United States, Former USSR,
China, West Africa, Australia, Europe, Argentina etc. In Asia, the most
prone to drought disasters are Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, Srilanka, part of Bangladesh, Northern China.

In India about 67 district are prone to drought disaster which affect 25%
of total crop land and 12% of population. The states that are most prone
to drought disaster in India are Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Southern Utter Pradesh, West Bengal and
Odisha. For example, Jalna-Beed: The Marathwada region of Maharashtra
states is facing severe water scarcity; Chitradurga-Bijapur. The
Chitradurga district of Karnataka state is among the talukas which are
reeling under drought and North Karnataka is worst hit; Bikaner-
Jaisalmer; Saurashtra-Kutch etc.

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4.4 IMPACT OF DROUGHT DISASTERS

Draughts are more deadly natural environmental hazards being related

with the basic needs of any formal life i.e. Water, Air and Food. The impacts
of the droughts can be put under the following categories:

a. Human fatalities: Extensive prolonged drought situation in a

region where majority of people depend on farming, results in
shortage of food and water supply for irrigation and domestic
purposes. Consequently, the people die of malnutrition,
starvation, and heat related diseases like, heat strokes,
dehydration, high fever, diarrhea etc.

b. Demographic impact: Demography of the region get affected due

to migration of people and animals in large number, from the
drought affected area, in search of food and water.

c. Economic impact: Drought causes Economic losses that take

place due to:
 decrease in agricultural production, live stocks of milk & flesh
 decrease in industrial production due to short supply of water
 reduced electricity generation
 wild fire and forest fire etc.

d. Ecological impact: Drought causes imbalance of natural

ecosystem & ecological balance due to:
 Loss of some species of plants and animals
 Migration of animals
 Death of animals due to hunger, starvation and thirst.

e. Environmental impact: The natural environment of drought

affected area suffers due to:
 Desert spread
 Wind erosion of soil
 Loss of atmospheric and soil moisture
 Damage to farm land due to deposit of sand and dust
 Degradation and reduction of fish & wild life habitats
 Spread of disease amongst human and animals
 Spread of wild fire
 Generation of dust storms

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 f. Social impact: Many social problems arises due to drought like;
 Drought claims many human lives due to shortage of food &
water and due to heat strokes.
 Suicides of farmer due to heavy economic loss
 Violence for food & water causes social unrest
 Mental and physical stress causes due to death of many family
members
 Political conflicts and instability
 Increase in different types of crime.

4.5 MITIGATION & CONTROL MEASURES FOR DROUGHT HAZARDS

Following measures may be taken to reduce the disastrous effects of

drought:

 Advance prediction and careful monitoring the drought situation

 Plantation and forestation
 Construction of small dams and Check walls in the catchment area
 To identify the alternate sources for water supply
 To recharge the ground water
 Crop management by using less irrigation intensive crop and
farming
 Use of drip irrigation
 Rain water harvesting
 Effective relief measure system with the local authorities.
 Adequate storage of food stocks.
 Effective implementation of water conservation schemes
 To encourage crop insurance scheme.

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4 Prof. B.P.Suneja