Physical Exposure to Drought

Drought is a phenomenon that affects more people globally than any other natural hazard. Unlike aridity, which refers to a semi-permanent condition of low precipitation (desert regions), drought results from the accumulated effect of deficient precipitation over a prolonged period of time.

The units used in this product refer to the expected average annual population (2010 as the year of reference) exposed (inhabitants). The dataset includes an estimate of the annual physical exposure to drought. It is based on three sources:

1. India - Heavy seasonal rain has resulted in severe flooding in several areas in India. The worst affected area is Uttarakhand state where nearly 100,000 people have been evacuated and an additional 9,000 remain stranded. 127 evacuation camps have been set up in the state. There has been no request for international assistance but INGOs and local NGOs operational in India have been providing assistance to augment a massive government response. Source: Sphere India