For the second effect to take place, water needs to get sucked out from the ground and then evaporated at the leaves. When water changes from liquid to gas, it absorbs heat. Moreover, in case of a strong rain, no water is retained and flash flooding occurs.

Floods usually occur when precipitation falls more quickly than that water can be absorbed into the ground or carried away by rivers or streams. Waters may build up gradually over a period of weeks, when a long period of rainfall or snow-melt fills the ground with water and raises stream levels.

Sadly, no. Floods contain a huge amount of water, largely from rain or meltwater, and heating the water to evaporate it just delays the problem: you still end up with more rain.

Droughts occur when an abnormally long dry period uses up available water resources. Floods happen when watercourses or rain swallow up land that is usually uncovered. These natural disasters are often made worse by human action. As it builds up on the surface, the water ends up causing widespread damage.

A flood is generally more destructive than a drought by it’s nature. A flood can wreak millions of dollars of damage in a matter of minutes or hours, not to mention the threat to human and animal lives. A drought, on the other hand, can permanently devastate an agricultural area if they are persistent.

The main difference between Drought and Flood is that the Drought is a extended period when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply and Flood is a overflow of water that submerges land. A drought can last for months or years, or may be declared after as few as 15 days.

Examples of drought impacts on society include anxiety or depression about economic losses, conflicts when there is not enough water, reduced incomes, fewer recreational activities, higher incidents of heat stroke, and even loss of human life. Drought conditions can also provide a substantial increase in wildfire risk.

A drought is defined as “a period of abnormally dry weather sufficiently prolonged for the lack of water to cause serious hydrologic imbalance in the affected area.” -Glossary of Meteorology (1959).

Here are the 5 natural and human causes of drought:

• 1) Land and water temperatures cause drought.
• 2) Air circulation and weather patterns also cause drought.
• 3) Soil moisture levels also contribute to drought.
• 4) Drought can also be a supply and demand of water issue.

Droughts can also be caused by human activities, for example: Agriculture – using large amounts of water to irrigate crops removes water from lakes, rivers and groundwater. Some crops require more water than others, eg cotton. This leaves the ground vulnerable to erosion and desertification which can lead to drought.

The Short Answer: A drought is caused by drier than normal conditions that can eventually lead to water supply problems. Really hot temperatures can make a drought worse by evaporating moisture from the soil. A drought is a prolonged period with less-than-average amounts of rain or snow in a particular region.

Being mindful of the amount of water you use each day can be a powerful way to prevent droughts. Turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, watering your garden early in the morning so less water evaporates, and installing low-flow plumbing fixtures all are good ways to prevent wasted water.

Drought and desertification are closely related phenomena. Inappropriate land use, such as monocultures, and unsustainable land management practices, such as deforestation, unsuitable agricultural practices and overexploitation of water resources), can cause land degradation that can be further aggravated by drought.

Overgrazing is the major cause of desertification worldwide. Other factors that cause desertification include urbanization, climate change, overuse of groundwater, deforestation, natural disasters, and tillage practices in agriculture that make soils more vulnerable to wind.

Human activities that contribute to desertification include the expansion and intensive use of agricultural lands, poor irrigation practices, deforestation, and overgrazing. These unsustainable land uses place enormous pressure on the land by altering its soil chemistry and hydrology.

‘Climatic variations’ and ‘Human activities’ can be regarded as the two main causes of desertification. removal of the natural vegetation cover（by taking too much fuel wood）, agricultural activities in the vulnerable ecosystems of arid and semi-arid areas, which are thus strained beyond their capacity.

In affected areas research shows that desertification is linked to declining agricultural productivity and decrease in income levels, leading to severe economic crisis and poverty.

Preventive actions include:

1. Integrating land and water management to protect soils from erosion, salinization, and other forms of degradation.
2. Protecting the vegetative cover, which can be a major instrument for soil conservation against wind and water erosion.

The loss of trees and other vegetation can cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of problems for indigenous people.

degradation of the vegetal covering, through to its total disappearance; dispersion of solid particles in the atmosphere – sand storms, air pollution – with a negative impact on man’s health and productive activities; reduction of farming and breeding production: malnutrition and hunger; migrations of people and wars.

Drought can also cause long-term public health problems, including: Shortages of drinking water and poor quality drinking water. Impacts on air quality, sanitation and hygiene, and food and nutrition. More disease, such as West Nile Virus carried by mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water.

If drought becomes prolonged, the branches of woody plants will begin to die back, and plants can die entirely if their ability to absorb water from the environment is damaged (UMass Amherst). In long-term drought, native plants may die back, allowing for the intrusion of invasive plant species.

Mulching – Covering bare soil with wood chips, straw or other plants material can help to hold the soil in place. Conservation Crop Rotation – Switching to crops that require less water can allow a field to remain productive and provide erosion protection. Minimize the effects of drought on your irrigated cropland.

As plant growth declines, open water increases, reducing habitat quality for waterfowl and other wildlife. Fortunately, water levels in most wetlands draw down naturally at some point, and this is where drought plays a beneficial role in rejuvenating wetlands.

Other disasters such as wildfires, floods, and tornadoes can completely defoliate forests and cause other types of structural changes to ecosystems. Wildlife can be killed by the force of the disaster or impacted indirectly through changes in habitat and food availability. Riverbanks erode during flash flood events.

Disasters may be explosions, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, or fires. In a disaster, you face the danger of death or physical injury. You may also lose your home, possessions, and community. Such stressors place you at risk for emotional and physical health problems.