Drought is typically identified as a deficiency in precipitation over an extended period, usually a season or more, leading to a water shortage causing adverse effects on vegetation, animals, and people. The causes of drought encompass variability in rainfall, deviation in the course of monsoon winds, early withdrawal of the monsoon, forest fires, land degradation, and climate change.
Different Types of Drought
Drought can be categorised into four types:
1. Meteorological Drought: This happens due to the degree of dryness and the length of the dry period.
2. Hydrological Drought: It is based on the impact of rainfall deficits on the water supply sources.
3. Agricultural Drought: This refers to the impact on agriculture due to factors like deficit in rainfall, reduced groundwater, or reservoir levels needed for irrigation.
4. Socioeconomic Drought: This considers the impact of drought conditions on the supply and demand of economic goods.
The Current Drought Scenario in Europe
Following record-breaking summer heat, 2022 could be the worst drought year in Europe in 500 years. According to the Global Drought Observatory, around 64% of Europe’s landmass is experiencing drought conditions. This has affected transportation, electricity production, and agricultural sectors heavily.
Heat Waves & Their Implications
A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, generally occurring between March and June, and sometimes stretching until July. Heatwaves have led to increased evaporation of surface water and soil moisture, exacerbating the drought situation.
Drought Situation in China and the US
China and the US are also grappling with severe drought conditions. In China, the drought is being described as the worst in 60 years, posing a serious threat to its autumn grain production. In the US, over 40% of the area is under drought conditions, impacting about 130 million people.
Declaration of Drought in India
In India, the process of declaring drought involves looking at two mandatory indicators – rainfall deviation and dry spell, followed by assessing four impact indicators – agriculture, vegetation indices based on remote sensing, soil moisture, and hydrology. After considering these parameters, the final decision lies with the State Government.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Related Queries
Previous year questions from UPSC Civil Services Examination related to drought and desertification were also provided for aspirant’s reference. These include questions from 2014, 2020, and 2016, focusing on programmes/projects related to drought-prone areas, desert development, understanding the process of desertification, and the role of micro-watershed development projects in water conservation in drought-prone regions.
