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Extreme drought and water shortages are increasingly affecting crops, economies and people. They do not have the same effect everywhere. How do they differ and what helps against water shortages?
Extreme drought and water shortages are increasingly affecting crops, economies and peopleThis spring and first half of the summer in Europe has been particularly dry. The rainfall was very low, and now there is extreme heat. This has not only worried farmers, but also the transport industry, as river levels, important for the navigation of land ships, have dropped significantly.
On the Rhine, an important trade route, ships have been able to sail only to a limited extent and with less cargo. Droughts are also becoming more frequent in other regions. This leads to crop failure and water shortages in industry. The reason is rising temperatures due to human-induced climate change and the burning of coal, oil and gas.
Meteorological droughts
According to the German Meteorological Service, this type of drought is described as a period of at least one or two months of unusually dry weather and less rainfall than usual.
For example, the Australian Meteorological Service reported that April in some parts of the country was one of the driest since meteorological records began in 1900. In some parts of Australia, extreme drought has been ongoing for three years. The longer the drought lasts, the more serious its consequences can be.
Agricultural drought
When the soil is too dry, farmers have problems with water, plants grow poorly and yields are low or non-existent.
Original Record.
This archived record authored by ‘Nedim Sladic’ at ‘METEORED (Your Weather)’ was recovered from data set:
English