Drought

Drought in Southern Africa

Low water levels at Victoria Falls highlight southern Africa’s worst drought in 30 years Tourists post pictures on social media of iconic falls known as “The Smoke That Thunders” looking decidedly tame as farmers endure record drought that will cause hunger across the continent.

Southern Africa is in the grip of an historic drought which has slashed crop production, killed cattle, shut off water supplies to rural communities and even diminished the mighty Victoria Falls on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border to a shadow of its former self.

A view of Victoria Falls from the Zambian side, where the 'smoke that thunders' is a shadow of its usual self:

Official data from the Zambezi River Authority shows that flows were 20 per cent lower on January 18 than the previous year, and that Lake Kariba, the world’s largest manmade reservoir that sits upstream of Victoria Falls, is only 12 per cent full at present. The dam that sits across the lake supplies both Zambia and Zimbabwe with up to half of its power and yet ZRA said water levels were within two metres of its massive hydropower plants having to be shut down.

Both countries are already feeling the effects. Zambia relies on hydroelectricity for 99.7 per cent of its power in total.

Meanwhile in Zimbabwe, a similar power crisis means that urban residents go without electricity for more than 18 hours a day, with a knock-on effect for industry and business. At least 7,000 cattle are reported to have already died and northern herders are reportedly driving their animals into the country’s national parks, meaning they will compete with wildlife for scarce food resources.

Earlier this month it was revealed that Robert Mugabe’s cash-strapped government has struck a secret deal to buy expensive power from Eskom, the state power firm of its southern neighbour South Africa. The move prompted outrage from South Africans who have also been blighted by a lack of capacity this year, leading to frequent “load shedding” power cuts.

South Africa’s drought is said to be the worst for at least 27 years. Five provinces are close to being declared disaster zones because of a lack of water and citizens’ groups have been organising whip-rounds for water trucks to conduct deliveries to rural areas. The country will also be forced to import an unprecedented five to six million tonnes of corn, its staple, from overseas.

Drought

Drought and Hunger in Southern Africa

The United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) is increasingly concerned about food security in southern Africa where an estimated 14 million people are facing hunger following prolonged dry spells.

These dry conditions, caused by the El Niño weather event, led to a poor harvest. El Niño, which is leading to an even worse drought across the region, is affecting this year’s crop.

With little or no rain falling in many areas, the window for the planting of cereals is closing fast or already closed in some countries.

“South Africa, the major breadbasket of the region, has indicated that this El Niño-induced drought is the worst the country has suffered in more than half a century,” said the WFP.

2.8m in Malawi need food, 1.9m in Madagascar and 1,5m in Zim. A third of Lesotho’s people face problems.

Environment

The southward shift of an atmospheric belt in the Southern Hemisphere since the 1970s is reportedly the reason why parts of Australia and southern Africa are drying out. The southward expansion of a meteorological feature known as the Hadley cell is most pronounced in autumn.

The southward shift of between 125 and 250 miles has resulted in less rainfall during April and May over southeastern Australia, and to a lesser extent over southern Africa.

Rain that previously would fall 125 to 250 miles farther north is now being directed that distance to the south due to climate change’s effect on the Hadley cell.

It is not known specifically what is causing the shift, and climate models have not accurately represented it.

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The week's hottest temperature was 111.2 degrees Fahrenheit (44.0 degrees Celsius) at Nouakchott, Mauritania. This was a record high for the date and for the month of October.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 89.1 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 67.3 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

Heat Wave and Drought

Heat waves hit southern Europe, wilting the corn crop and reducing yields. Corn supplies are expected to be under severe pressure worldwide over the present season. Southern Africa estimates a shortfall of more than 8 million tonnes. Corn/maize being the staple food for millions of people in the region.