Ethiopia could face more rainfall deficits, deepening a drought that has left nearly eight million of the country’s people in need of aid, forecasters say.
By Sora Halake (VOA) |
Forecasters are warning that Ethiopia could face more rainfall deficits, deepening a drought that has left nearly eight million of the country’s people in need of aid.
Dr. Chris Funk is a climate scientist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) whose research focuses on African and Asian countries. He told VOA’s Horn of Africa Service that there is a 50 percent chance another El Nino weather event could form in the Pacific Ocean this year.
“If it’s a moderate or strong El Nino, that would definitely tilt towards odd, below normal rain for northern Ethiopia,” he said. “That is what happened unfortunately in 2015, when we had a strong El Nino that reduced rains in northern and central Ethiopia and we are concerned about that possibility.”
Ethiopia tends to receive its heaviest rain between mid-June and mid-September, especially in the north.
The moderate rainy season that runs from February to May was disappointing, said Dula Shanko, deputy director for the Ethiopian meteorological department.
“March rain was very poor for areas that get rain [in] this time,” he said. “In April and May it shows little progress but not enough.”
He added that rain was sparse in the southern regions of Somali and Oromia.
Out of 7.78 million Ethiopians in need of food assistance, 3.6 million are in Oromia.
Read the complete story at Voice of America (VOA)
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See also:
- NDRMC: The Number of Drought Affected People Reaches 7.6 Million
- Investing in Resilience Helps Families Find Hope in the Face of Drought in East Africa
- Drought: The New Normal in East Africa? Should the Indian Niño Be Blamed for Drought?
- Minister James Wharton: UK Will Stand by People of Ethiopia Affected by Severe Drought
- German Development Ministry Pledges Additional 100 Million Euros to Drought-affected Horn of Africa