How is Drought considered a disaster?
A drought or drouth is a natural disaster of below-average precipitation in a given region, resulting in prolonged shortages in the water supply, whether atmospheric, surface water or ground water. Prolonged droughts have caused mass migrations and humanitarian crisis. …
What type of hazard is the drought?
Natural hazards are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused either by rapid or slow onset events which can be geophysical (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic activity), hydrological (avalanches and floods), climatological (extreme temperatures, drought and wildfires), meteorological (cyclones and …
Why is drought considered as a natural disaster?
Decreased water supplies also result in the loss of crops and reduced forage growth and availability, impacting livestock. Drought conditions can also increase the level of disease and insect infestations for plants and livestock. Dry conditions also lead to wind erosion of top soil and increased risk for fire hazards.
Is drought a weather hazard?
A drought is a prolonged period when rainfall is below average. Drought conditions are linked to natural changes in atmospheric circulation, but can also be made worse by human activities – often connected to farm practices.
What are the human causes of drought?
In a recent article, we call this anthropogenic drought, which is water stress caused or intensified by human activities, including increased demand, outdated water management, climate change from anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, growing energy and food production, intensive irrigation, diminished supplies, and …
What happens to plants when there is a drought?
Without adequate water, biological processes, such as photosynthesis, are greatly reduced. Reduced photosynthesis means reduced plant growth, including root growth. Besides the direct effects of drought, a plant under stress becomes more susceptible to insect and disease problems that can attack a weakened plant.