IRI Climate Digest April
2001
Climate Impacts - March
Contributions to this page were made by IRI researchers Dr. A. Amissah-Arthur (Agriculture), Dr. K. Broad (Fisheries), Dr. M. Hopp (Health), Dr. B. Lyon (Energy), Dr. A. Seth (Hazards) and Dr. L. Zubair (Water Resources).
Hazards/Threats
Afghanistan and Pakistan
Continued drought and war are worsening conditions in Afghanistan, where in the northeast
the United Nations has warned that food stocks were nearing
exhaustion. Many residents have resorted to eating animal fodder
and many have eaten their seeds, making the prognosis for the next
harvest particularly bleak.
In Pakistan concerns are mounting about the failure of winter rains and severe shortages
of irrigation water. In Punjab, where 75 percent of Pakistan wheat is produced, irrigation
canals have only 15-20 percent of the water requirement. The
provincial Government of Sindh, which accounts for 42 percent of the rice production, has
banned sowing of rice in its major rice growing areas, due to the severe water shortage.
(WFP;
ReliefWeb)
Southern Africa
In Mozambique flooding and evacuations in the Zambezi valley continued during March,
although water levels in the Zambezi River were slowly decreasing towards the end of the
month.
The level of the Pungoe River rose further and the levels of the Save River and the Buzi River also
increased due to heavy rain. OCHA reported that 235,000 people have been displaced.
In Malawi heavy rains continued throughout the country, worsening the flooding in
13 of the 27
districts of the country. The latest figure stands at 334,985 affected people (66,997 households) and 14 deaths.
Heavy rains in Zambia were being blamed for a sudden upsurge in malaria cases during March. In neighboring
Zimbabwe, heavy rains produced continued flooding over large portions of the country, affecting over 30,0000
people. Northeastern sections of Zimbabwe were most adversely affected.
(OCHA;
World Vision;
OCHA)
Hungary and Romania
The Tisza, Szamos and Tur rivers caused flooding in Hungary, Romania and the Ukraine in March. Torrential rains and
melting snow due to warmer than average temperatures were responsible for the floods.
The flooded region is along the basin common to the 3 countries (NE Hungary,
NW Romania and SW Ukraine). Damage in Romania was estimated at 26.6 million USD.
(IFRC)
East Africa
Belg (secondary) rains that were late in the onset and had poor performance
at the beginning of the season have improved significantly - in
amount and area covered - in the second and third dekads of
March. Belg areas in which dry planting has been reported due to
delayed onset, such as Hadiya, Welaita, Gamo Gofa, North Shewa,
North and South Wello, are expected to benefit from the improved
performance of rains.
Overall there are improvements in the food security picture compared to this time last year. Ethiopia - with the
largest population in the region - has a considerably better food availability picture, though a substantial number
of people still remain vulnerable. Better than expected short-rains harvests in Kenya and Somalia have improved
the situation there, and the Great Lakes countries also mostly show improvement. However, an increasingly severe
drought in Sudan and a malaria epidemic in Burundi present difficulties; Kenya and Ethiopia remain among the
three largest Emergency Operations of WFP currently underway.
( WFP;
FAO Report)
Peru and Ecuador
Heavy rains in Peru caused flooding in the Department of Puno, especially in the provinces of El Collao, Chucuito,
San Roman,
Puno, and Huancane, prompting the authorities to declare a state of emergency. The
flooding began 1 March when rivers in the Titicaca basin burst their banks. According to reports, 31,500 people
were affected with some 5,300 hectares of cultivated land lost. In neighboring Ecuador, President Gustavo Noboa
said he planned to declare a state of emergency in the coastal city of Chone which was battered by floods that
reportedly killed five people while displacing hundreds during the month.
(OCHA)
Health
Brazil During the first three months of this year,
the
number of dengue fever
cases reported in the state of Amazonas (12,363) was almost
4 times higher than during the same period last year (3,261). Thirty-six
cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever were also reported, with one fatality
in a 10-year-old girl. Increased rainfall, as well as a lapse in
dengue control efforts, are believed to have contributed to higher mosquito
densities. (ProMED-port).
Water Resources/Energy
Brazil
The city of Sao Paulo will begin water rationing in April due to an ongoing drought in the region. Drought has been affecting west-central, northeast and southeast Brazil since last year. Some reservoirs in drought-stricken areas stand at 35% of capacity. Drought in
Brazil affects both water and power supplies, as 90 percent of the country's electricity comes from hydropower plants. (COMTEX)
Northwest United States
The Pacific Northwest recorded the second-driest winter on record (the winter of 76-77 was the driest). There is concern for the effects of continued dry conditions on salmon
runs and hydroelectric energy in the region.
Portions of the Columbia River Basin may register river flow volume at its lowest since 1977. (PMA)
Agriculture
Australia Rain benefited pastures and immature
summer crops across the southeast, but drier weather
favored maturing cotton farther north. (JAWF)
South America Widespread showers boosted soil
moisture for filling crops in Argentina, but
otherwise slowed harvesting in Argentina and southern
Brazil. (JAWF)
Middle East Light to moderate showers covered
Turkey's winter wheat areas, although unseasonable
warmth maintained high crop moisture requirements in other parts of the region. (JAWF)
Southeast Asia Heavy showers slowed fieldwork
throughout Indochina, Malaysia, and Java, Indonesia. (JAWF)
Northwestern Africa A developing drought worsened
conditions for winter grains in southern Morocco,
while the third consecutive week of dryness increased
stress on crops in Algeria and Tunisia. (JAWF)
Europe
Rainfall in southeastern Europe benefited
winter grains, while unfavorably wet weather persisted in
northwestern Europe, postponing spring grain and
early summer crop planting. (JAWF)
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