Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster
Droughts have been identified as an environmental hazard by environmentalists, ecologists, hydrologists, meteorologists, geologists, and agricultural experts. Droughts are characterised by a decrease in precipitation over a lengthy period, such as a season or a year, and can occur in virtually all c...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/1/111 |
| _version_ | 1797495860366409728 |
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| author | Israel R. Orimoloye Johanes A. Belle Yewande M. Orimoloye Adeyemi O. Olusola Olusola O. Ololade |
| author_facet | Israel R. Orimoloye Johanes A. Belle Yewande M. Orimoloye Adeyemi O. Olusola Olusola O. Ololade |
| author_sort | Israel R. Orimoloye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Droughts have been identified as an environmental hazard by environmentalists, ecologists, hydrologists, meteorologists, geologists, and agricultural experts. Droughts are characterised by a decrease in precipitation over a lengthy period, such as a season or a year, and can occur in virtually all climatic zones, including both high and low rainfall locations. This study reviewed drought-related impacts on the environment and other components particularly, in South Africa. Several attempts have been made using innovative technology such as earth observation and climate information as recorded in studies. Findings show that the country is naturally water deficient, which adds to the climate fluctuation with the average annual rainfall in South Africa being far below the global average of 860 mm per year. Drought in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, for example, has resulted in employment losses in the province’s agriculture sector. According to the third quarterly labor force survey from 2017, the agricultural industry lost almost 25,000 jobs across the country. In the Western Cape province, about 20,000 of these were lost which has a direct impact on income generation. Many of these impacts were linked to drought events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:55:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-13cc6fad2226484595229f142c9a5e28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:55:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-13cc6fad2226484595229f142c9a5e282023-11-23T12:57:20ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332022-01-0113111110.3390/atmos13010111Drought: A Common Environmental DisasterIsrael R. Orimoloye0Johanes A. Belle1Yewande M. Orimoloye2Adeyemi O. Olusola3Olusola O. Ololade4Centre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South AfricaDisaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South AfricaDisaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South AfricaDepartment of Geography, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South AfricaCentre for Environmental Management, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South AfricaDroughts have been identified as an environmental hazard by environmentalists, ecologists, hydrologists, meteorologists, geologists, and agricultural experts. Droughts are characterised by a decrease in precipitation over a lengthy period, such as a season or a year, and can occur in virtually all climatic zones, including both high and low rainfall locations. This study reviewed drought-related impacts on the environment and other components particularly, in South Africa. Several attempts have been made using innovative technology such as earth observation and climate information as recorded in studies. Findings show that the country is naturally water deficient, which adds to the climate fluctuation with the average annual rainfall in South Africa being far below the global average of 860 mm per year. Drought in South Africa’s Western Cape Province, for example, has resulted in employment losses in the province’s agriculture sector. According to the third quarterly labor force survey from 2017, the agricultural industry lost almost 25,000 jobs across the country. In the Western Cape province, about 20,000 of these were lost which has a direct impact on income generation. Many of these impacts were linked to drought events.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/1/111drought disasterimpactsenvironmentSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | Israel R. Orimoloye Johanes A. Belle Yewande M. Orimoloye Adeyemi O. Olusola Olusola O. Ololade Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster Atmosphere drought disaster impacts environment South Africa |
| title | Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster |
| title_full | Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster |
| title_fullStr | Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster |
| title_full_unstemmed | Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster |
| title_short | Drought: A Common Environmental Disaster |
| title_sort | drought a common environmental disaster |
| topic | drought disaster impacts environment South Africa |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/1/111 |
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