Chapter 1 Introduction

Drought could be classified, as Meteorological Drought is significant decrea
s e   f r o m normal precipitation over an area. Secondly, Hydrological Drought is known to
be markeddepletion of surface water and fall in water tables. Finally, the most
important AgriculturalDrought
 
with Soil moisture and rainfall inadequate to support crops.U n l i k e e a r t h q u a k e s , f l o o d s a n d
c y c l o n e s , o c c u r r e n c e i s a g r a d u a l p r o c e s s w i t h l o n g - lasting effects. The droughts
from 1980 to 2000 posed a threat to the food security and
humanm o r t a l i t y   a l l   r o u n d   t h e   w o r l d .   O n   a v e r a g e ,   2 8 %
o f   t h e   g e o g r a p h i c a l   a r e a   o f   I n d i a   i s vulnerable to droughts. Meteorologically ±
19% deviation of rainfall from the long - termm e a n   i s c o n s i d e r e d   n o r m a l   i n
I n d i a .   D e f i c i e n c y i n   t h e r a n g e   o f 2 0   t o   5 9 % r e p r e s e n t s “moderate”
drought and more than 60%, “severe” drought. From 1871 to 2002, India haswitnessed
22 major droughts each in 1873, 1877, 1899, 1901, 1986, 1905, 1911, 1918,
1920,1941, 1951, 1969, 1966, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, and
2002 and fiveof them were severe. Since disasters engulf vast regions and deprive
large sections of ther u r a l a n d v u l n e r a b l e p o p u l a t i o n o f t h e i r n o r m a l m e a n s o f
livelihood, good governance
isc a l l e d   f o r .   D i f f e r e n t   c o u n t r i e s   a n d   s t a t e s   h a v e   d e v e l o p e d   c o d e s ,   m
a n u a l s ,   p r o c e d u r e s ,  processes and policies for monitoring and management
of drought. Over the years, India
hasd e v e l o p e d   a n   e l a b o r a t e   g o v e r n a n c e   s y s t e m   o f   i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d   d r
o u g h t   m o n i t o r i n g declaration and mitigation at different levels.Continent – wise details of
drought impacts are given in table 1. As per UNDP (2004)r e l a t i v e d r o u g h t
vulnerability index (persons killed per million exposed) is highest in the
Democratic People’ Republic of Korea (16,847), followed by Mozambique (5422) ,
Ethiopia(5189), Sudan (2881), Mauritiana (620), Chad (278), Somalia (29), Uganda (23),
Papua New Guinea (11) and China (6). This index for India is relatively very low (0.58)
due to the constantly evolving development and governance process in spite of greater
frequently of droughts after 1965

Drought is an extended period when a region receives a deficiency in its water supply, whether
atmospheric, surface or ground water. A drought can last for months or years, or may be
declared after as few as 15 days.[1] Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently
below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystemand agriculture of
the affected region. Although droughts can persist for several years, even a short, intense
drought can cause significant damage[2] and harm to the local economy.[3]Prolonged drought has
caused cause mass migrations and humanitarian crises.

Many plant species, such as cacti, have adaptations such as reduced leaf area and waxy cuticles
to enhance their ability to tolerate drought. Some others survive dry periods as buried seeds.
Semi-permanent drought produces arid biomes such as deserts and grasslands.[4] Most arid
ecosystems have inherently low productivity.

What Is Drought
Drought (pronounced /ˈdɹaʊt/) is when an area gets less than its normal amount ofrain over
months or even years. Crops and other plants need water to grow, and landanimals need it to
live. It can become dangerous to people and other animals; causingfamine and even
creating deserts. Drought is a natural event, caused by other weather events like El Niño and
high pressure systems. Drought can also be triggered bydeforestation (people cutting
down forests), by global warming, and by diverting riversor emptying lakes.

Drought is a disaster which usually takes place slowly. It is difficult to decide the time of it started
and its end. Its effects often build up slowly over a long period of time and may continue from
months to years after the end of the event. Drought is a continuous period of dry weather due to
lack of rain.

Many people die every year due to drought. Conflicts can result from drought conditions.[1]

How It Is Caused
Generally, rainfall is related to the amount (determined by air temperature) of water vapour
carried by regional atmosphere, combined with the upward forcing of the air mass containing that
water vapour. If these combined factors do not support precipitation volumes sufficient to reach
the surface, the result is a drought. This can be triggered by high level of reflected sunlight and
above average prevalence of high pressure systems, winds carrying continental, rather than
oceanic air masses, and ridges of high pressure areas from behaviors which prevent or restrict
the developing of thunderstorm activity or rainfall over one certain region. Oceanic and
atmospheric weather cycles such as the make drought a regular recurring feature of the
Americas along the Midwest and Australia.

Human activity can directly trigger exacerbating factors such as over farming, excessive
irrigation,[35] deforestation, anderosion adversely impact the ability of the land to capture and hold
water.[36] While these tend to be relatively isolated in their scope, activities resulting in
global climate change are expected to trigger droughts with a substantial impact on
agriculture[37] throughout the world, and especially in developing nations.[38][39][40] Overall, global
warming will result in increased world rainfall.[41] Along with drought in some areas, flooding and
erosion will increase in others. Paradoxically, some proposed solutions to global warming that
focus on more active techniques, solar radiation management through the use of a space
sunshade for one, may also carry with them increased chances of drought.