Heatwave, Monsoon and Drought
After the prolonged scorching heat, most of the region in India is now enjoying the monsoon that arrived in late May. A few days earlier, India witnessed several cases of suspected heat stroke, and many people lost their lives after the severe heat wave across the country from March to May. However, the early arrival of the monsoon in the state of Kerala brings relief to the residents. In contrast, the eastern part of India has been winding in the impact of cyclone Remal.
However, the downpours will only bring about a little respite. This season, July was the driest on record, which was experienced by several states in the southwest and east. The Indian meteorological department has claimed that average rainfall is expected to persist this month and next month as well. As a result, there will be a comparable water scarcity that will nest in many areas of the nation for the foreseeable future.
Now, the question is why India has been suffering after the regular monsoon. The complete state of Karnataka, along with the neighbouring areas of Maharashtra, Telangana also witnessing the issue of water shortage. One of the key reasons behind the water shortage is the below-normal rainfall in this region in the past year.
Causes of Drought and Effects
Drought, A natural disaster witnessed by Indian residents for centuries. Almost half of the population of India depends on agriculture for their living. Over half of the country’s farmland is used for agriculture. But climate change drastically changed the monsoon patterns and its impact caused a decline in the rainfall in India. The rainfall in India is concentrated into shorter. That means the dry spills are linear.
Meteorological Drought
When the amount of rainfall is decreased for a certain level for some time, In that time drought conditions occur where the rainfall declines by 25% of the average rainfall. It is important to remember that when it comes to meteorological drought, the efficacy of rainfall matters far more than its quantity. India is known for having some of the most significant annual rainfall in the world, with an average of 106 cm. However, the southwest monsoon is considered as unpredictable and unreliable causing broad conditions in many parts of the country. There are various reasons, such as the lack of depression in India. Early monsoon withdrawal and the late monsoon onset.
Agriculture drought
It defines that besides the heavy rainfall some of the parts of India are heavily impacted due to the agriculture drought. Agriculture drought happens due to the standard perception and the causing of normal Temperature and also for the evaporated moisture from the soil and plants.
Drought majorly affects crop production and this condition arises independently because of the changes in irrigation and soil conditions along precipitation levels. In India erosion happens as a result of badly planned Plant agriculture significantly lowers the amount of water accessible for crops and contributes to the drought.
Groundwater draught
It defines the decrease in water at the ground level associated with the groundwater trot. This situation occurs in the time of typical rainfall and due to the excessive groundwater pumping without any replenishment that unfortunately leads to a groundwater drought that is essentially irreversible.
Surface water drought
One of the major concerns with the drying of surface water resources, which is related to the reverse streams lakes contain, etc. It happens due to the many processes besides the meteorological rot that leads to the surface water drought. Surface water drop mainly occurred due to extensive deforestation, other than undesirable human activities. Hence the reason for the drought conditions at the expansion of non-traced agriculture along with indiscriminate road construction.
