Unusual delay in rains owing to El- Nino phenomenon in Pacific Ocean impacted upon health and agriculture besides increasing water scarcity in the urban areas. Elaborating El-Nino condition, Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the phenomena which developed in June last year reaching at its peak suppressed rainfalls in the country for the last four months.
Since the end of monsoon season, which was too deficient, most parts of the country except some areas of Central and North Balochistan have not received any significant rainfall. However, the condition is expected to decrease gradually and neutralise sometimes in early summer.
The met office said that 100 percent below normal rains were recorded in the federal capital in the month of December. The below normal rains recorded were Sindh 43 percent, NWFP were 58 percent, Punjab 96 percent, Kashmir 12 percent, while overall 37 percent below normal rains occurred across country. Only Balochistan receives 78 percent above normal rains during the current winter season.
The El-Nino conditions were blocking winter rains for the country. However, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has already forecast 30 percent less rains in the country this year. The met department said that the drought conditions may emerge in the coming days as most parts of the country are experiencing extreme dry conditions. The droughts, which generally occur, have three stages including meteorological, hydrological and agricultural droughts, the Director General said.
Most parts of the country are under severe meteorological drought conditions as no appreciable rainfall has occurred during the last four months. The country is experiencing hydrological drought conditions because the availability of surface water in major reservoirs have aggravated due to 30 percent below normal rains during monsoon and persistent long dry spell afterwards
Since temperatures in catchment areas have already reached at freezing level so no significant improvements in the reservoirs is expected during coming weeks. He said that in comparison with last 10 year's data, it indicates that water situation is similar to the drought year of 2002.
Inflows in Rawal, Khanpur and Simly Dams are also diminishing that may lead to shortage in urban areas because the rainfall in catchment areas is likely to remain below normal, he added. About agricultural drought, Qamar said, the situation occurs when rainfall amount and distribution, soil water reserves and evaporation losses combine to start effecting crops.
After crossing two stages of drought ie meteorological and hydrological drought, the country is now entering the emerging agricultural drought stage as Barani areas of the country which are already experiencing crops failure, are under severe agricultural drought.
In the face of diminishing irrigation water, irrigated plain areas are also likely to come under emerging agriculture drought condition. The DG said that judicious use of available water resources and efficient agriculture, irrigation practices should be adopted in the present scenario of worsening drought conditions in the country.