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Natural hazard Drought


"Trade winds begin around 30˚ latitude where air descends and moves towards the equator as dry winds picking up moisture from the lands they cross."" (Abbott, 1999) These hot dry winds as well as a 2˚ change in latitude-exposed areas of sub-Sahelian Africa causing the drought of 1968-1975 that devastated several African countries. (Abbott, 1999).
             High-pressure ridges in the upper airflow that creates anticyclonic airflow can cause drought such as the 1930 Dust Bowl drought in the U.S. The nature of this airflow is to descend and hence as the dry upper air descends it warms and on reaching the ground it evaporates moisture from the ground. (Abbott, 1999).
             The impact of natural hazards on society "is a function of the exposure to and the magnitude of the natural phenomena (natural vulnerability) and the human vulnerability of the threatened entity."" (Irasema Alca¡ntara-Ayala 2002) Vulnerability consists of natural and human elements. Natural elements relate to the likely hood of a hazard-taking place whereas human elements relate to the ability to deal with the hazard. (Irasema Alca¡ntara-Ayala 2002) Political, social, economic and cultural differences can increase or decrease vulnerability. The affects of drought are not instantaneous as in other natural disasters, as the impact of drought is accumulated over time the affect is not always as dramatic in the public eye. Drought can be just as devastating as other natural hazards. "Drought, including food shortage and famine, was responsible for half the global disaster-affected population between 1964 and 1993- (Bouma, et al, 1997).
             Drought affects many countries however some are more able to deal with the natural impacts. In the U.S. drought is unlikely to result in loss of life, deaths that do occur in developed countries are likely to be due to heatwaves associated with drought. In developing countries death associated with drought are high and are likely to be caused food supply disruptions leading to famine.


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