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| Sunday, 21 November 2004 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The parched earth Drought has an effect on all living beings. It also causes the land to be 'unhealthy' as it can dry the land so much so that large cracks form on the earth's crust. And because no plants can survive in such a dry climate, the soil is not held together by plant roots. This causes wind erosion as well.
What exactly is a drought? What causes it? Who is responsible? you may wonder. Drought can be defined as a condition of abnormally dry weather within a geographic region where some rain could usually be expected. A period in which an unusual shortage of rain causes a serious hydrological imbalance could be identified as a drought. In simple words, in a drought situation, you will not have enough water to drink or do your washing because water-supply reservoirs have become empty, wells have dried up and crops damaged. The climate is so dry and hot during a drought that plants cannot survive without water and animals cannot survive without plants, water or other living creatures. So the drought has a great effect on the food chain. If a drought lasts long, measures are taken to help save water. When a drought is severe, extreme measures such as limiting the number of showers you take, not bathing your dog and not washing your vehicles have to be adopted. This may not be much fun and can even lead to unclean environments, which can cause bacteria-related diseases as well. Drought has an effect on all living beings. It also causes the land to be 'unhealthy' as it can dry the land so much so that large cracks form on the earth's crust. And because no plants can survive in such a dry climate, the soil is not held together by plant roots. This causes wind erosion as well.
Droughts can last for years in most extreme cases. This type of drought affects outback areas and can devastate entire crops. Droughts usually occur in hot and dry areas. In most cases, the area is dry because there is minimal rainfall. Whatever rain that may fall is quickly absorbed into the ground or blown away by the dry air flow that moves along the ground. So the land remains dry and parched. Droughts tend to be more severe in some areas than in others. Catastrophic droughts generally occur at latitudes of about 15 - 20 degrees, in areas bordering the permanently arid regions of the world. Although a drought cannot be reliably predicted, certain precautions can be taken in drought-prone areas. These include construction of reservoirs to hold emergency water supplies, educating people to stop overcropping and prevent animals overgrazing and programmes to limit human settlements in drought-prone areas. Planting trees is another major step as trees increase moisture in the atmosphere as well as aiding rainfall. |
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| Politics | Produced by Lake House |
It was not long ago that we had to face the bitter experience of a
severe drought in several parts of the country. You would remember how
people in drought-affected areas suffered while people in other areas
pitched in to help them.
What causes the drought? Droughts are caused by the lack of rain over a
long period of time. Even if slight rains may occur periodically, the rain
water usually is not enough to be absorbed by the ground before it is
evaporated by the hot sun. As humans, plants and animals need water to
survive, if there is not enough water, they will eventually die from
thirst and dehydration. The severity of the drought is measured by the
degree of moisture deficiency, duration of the situation and the size of
the area affected.
