Tag: Drought

Since Taliban Gain Control, Over Half of Afghan Population Doesn’t Have ‘Enough to Eat’

NEW DELHI—Already stressed by continuous drought and conflict the number of Afghans needing humanitarian assistance increased from 18 million to 24 million after the Taliban took over the country on Aug, 15, according to Babar Baloch, the global spokesperson, for the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The 24 million in need account for over half of…


Oregon to Spend $400 Million on Rent and Drought Relief, Illegal Marijuana Crackdown, Afghan Resettlement

During a Dec. 13 special session, Oregon lawmakers passed a $400 million bipartisan spending package to prevent mass evictions, crack down on illegal marijuana cultivation, help farmers and ranchers impacted by drought, and provide funds to resettle Afghan refugees. The session was convened in response to a Nov. 30 request from Gov. Kate Brown, a…


China’s Southern Megacities Warn of Water Shortages During East River Drought

SHENZHEN, China—China’s major southern cities Guangzhou and Shenzhen have warned of severe water shortages lasting into next spring as the East River, a tributary of Guangdong’s Pearl River, continues to be hit by its most severe drought in decades. Authorities in both cities are asking citizens to reduce water consumption, with rainfall between January to…


State Water Project to Cut Supply in LA to Zero in 2022

LOS ANGELES—As the California State Water Project, providing about half of the water supply in the City of Los Angeles, is cutting its water allocation to zero for 2022, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) urged all customers to reduce water usage immediately in its Dec. 1 statement. As the largest municipal…


San Francisco Declares Water Shortage Emergency, Urges Residents to Reduce Usage

San Francisco has declared a water shortage emergency and is calling on nearly 3 million residents in four Bay Area counties to conserve water. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), which oversees a system of pipelines, pumps, and tunnels that carry most of the Bay Area’s water 160 miles from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir…


California Water Supplier Declares Drought Emergency, Urges Conservation

LOS ANGELES—Directors of Southern California’s regional water wholesaler declared a drought emergency Nov. 9, calling on local water suppliers to implement all conservation measures possible to reduce usage. “We need immediate action to preserve and stretch our limited State Water Project supplies,” Gloria D. Gray, chair of the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Board of Directors,…


Spring Rains Dampen Record Aussie Crops

Exceptional crop yields across Australia have been complemented by strong prices but wet weather in parts has brought an anxious wait for those harvesting. At 10 p.m. on Oct. 26 a jubilant Oscar Pearse had just started harvest and put a call out for more help on social media. “Didn’t plan for pleasant surprises,” he…


‘Atmospheric River’ Drenches California, Triggering Mudslides and Flooding

A so-called “atmospheric river” has drenched drought-stricken Northern California with several inches of rain and several feet of snow. Reports of rockslides, mudslides, and toppled trees were in abundance on Monday as National Weather Service forecasters continued to issue flood warnings and advisories for the central and northern parts of the state. Flooding was reported…


Newsom Extends Drought Emergency to Entire State of California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation Tuesday to expand the state’s drought emergency to include the entire state following the second-driest year on record. The proclamation (pdf) added the eight counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, and Ventura to include all remaining counties in the state. “As…


Gov. Newsom Extends Drought Emergency Across California, Urges State to ‘Step up Water Conservation Efforts’

California Gov. Gavin Newsom extended a drought emergency declaration across the entire state on Tuesday following the second driest year on record as the state battles with record low storage in its largest reservoirs. The emergency declaration comes as nearly 88 percent of California and much of the American West are experiencing an “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, according to…