UNDERSTANDING DROUGHT

A Slow-Onset, Natural Phenomenon That Can Happen

Anywhere

PRIMER OF KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN MULTIPLY AND SPILL

OVER FOR THE BENEFIT OF MILLIONS

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

BACKGROUND

OUR WORLD IS AT RISK FROM:

• TSUNAMIS

•DROUGHTS• VOLCANIC

ERUPTIONS

• WILDFIRES

Drought– A Natural Phenomenon That Can Cause Disasters

Planet Earth’s atmospheric-oceanic-lithospheric interactions cause:

DROUGHTSDroughts

DROUGHT is an extreme environmental

condition that is characterized by an absence of precipitation in the local and regional water cycle as a

consequence of the physical interactions of elements of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and

lithosphere.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DROUGHT

• SLOW ONSET• DIVERSE IN

LOCATION AND DURATION

• DIFFICULT TO MEASURE THE SOCIETAL IMPACTS

DROUGHT IN USA: 2012

DROUGHT IN TEXAS: 2011

DROUGHT IN CHINA: 2007

DROUGHT IN AFRICA: 2007

SHORTAGE OF FOOD: 2007

DROUGHT: EAST AFRICA; 2007

EQUIPPING NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL

“HELPING HANDS TEAMS” FOR ACTION DURING TIMES OF DROUGHT

Making a Difference When it Really Counts

BEING READY IS VITAL

HELPING HANDS ARE NEEDED FOR …

FOOD, WATER, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL

DROUGHT HAZARDS

DROUGHT HAZARDS (AKA Potential disaster Agents)

• HIGH TEMPERATURES • VERY LOW HUMIDITY• LOSS OF SOIL MOISTURE• VANISHING STREAMS, LAKES,

AND WATER TABLES

DROUGHT LINKAGES

• Drought is typically linked to wildfires, loss of water quantity and quality, and famine (sometimes).• These linkages can lead to major loss of life of people and animals, loss of livelihoods, and loss of habitats.

LOS ANGELES RIVER DRYING UP: SUMMER 2007

.

ELBE RIVER, GERMANY, IS DRYING UP: SUMMER, 2007

VANISHING LAKE: GHANA

DROUGHT RISKS

HAZARDSHAZARDS

ELEMENTS OF RISKELEMENTS OF RISK

EXPOSUREEXPOSURE

VULNERABILITYVULNERABILITY LOCATIONLOCATION

RISKRISK

PROLONGED LACK OF PRECIPITATION

DROUGHTS

LOSS OF SOIL MOSTURE

LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

DEPLETION/POLLUTION OF GROUND WATER

LOSS OF VEGETATION

INSECT INFESTATION

LOSS OF AG. LAND FROM DESERTIFICATION

CAUSES OF RISK

DISASTER LABORATORIES

E

DECREASE IN DECREASE IN WATER QUALITY WATER QUALITY

UNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISK

DECREASE IN WATER DECREASE IN WATER QUANTITY QUANTITY

SUSCEPTIBILITY SUSCEPTIBILITY TO WILDFIRESTO WILDFIRES

ECONOMIC LOSS; ECONOMIC LOSS; FAMINE; DEATHSFAMINE; DEATHS

RISKRISK

DROUGHT RISKS (A SLOW ONSET NATURAL HAZARD)

• Loss of life (People and animals) • Loss of livelihoods and habitats• Loss of agricultural land (e.g., from

desertification)• Reductions in water quantity and

quality

1/6 OF WORLD’S POPULATION AFFECTED BY DESERTIFICATION

FACILITATING DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

EMERGING TECNOLOGIES

FROM EDUCATION TO KNOWLEDGE TO APPLICATION

UNDER-STAND

IDENT-IFY

HEAR

PERSON-ALIZE

APPLI-CATIONS

PERIOD OF PERIOD OF INTEGRATIONINTEGRATION

WINDOW OF WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITOPPORTUNIT

YY

PERIOD OF PERIOD OF IMPLEMENTIMPLEMENT

ATIONATION

COMMUNITYCOMMUNITYDATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATION

HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS

•DROUGHT HAZARDS•LOCATIONS

RISK ASSESSMENTRISK ASSESSMENT

RISK

ACCEPTABLE RISK

UNACCEPTABLE RISK

DROUGHT DISASTER RISK DROUGHT DISASTER RISK REDUCTIONREDUCTION

•MONITORING • ADAPTATION•MITIGATION•PREPAREDNESS

POLICY OPTIONSPOLICY OPTIONS

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR DROUGHTS

• WEATHER FORECASTS

• MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., REMOTE SENSING)

• WARNING SYSTEMS

• DATABASES FOR PAST DROUGHTS

• COMPUTER MODELS OF DROUGHT

• MAPS • DISASTER

SCENARIOS• HAZARD

ASSESSMENT • RISK ASSESSMENT

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION FOR DROUGHT

• PURPOSE• IDENTIFICATION

OF DROUGHT PRECURSORS

• ALERT AND WARNING

• TECHNIQUE• REMOTE SENSING; SITE-

SPECIFIC MONITORING; MODELING

• PUBLIC AWARENESS; EDUCATION

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION FOR DROUGHT

• PURPOSE• PROTECT WATER

QUANTITY

• PROTECT WATER QUALITY

• TECHNIQUE• RESERVOIRS;

CONSERVATION

• ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION FOR DROUGHT

• PURPOSE• LAND-USE

CONTROL

• ADAPTATION TO THE SITUATION

• TECHNIQUE• DROUGHT-

RESISTANT CROPS AND VEGETATION

• COMMUNITY RESPONSE PLAN